


Of Life's Decisions

by TheDiamondNightSky



Category: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2020-10-28 08:04:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 43,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20775272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDiamondNightSky/pseuds/TheDiamondNightSky
Summary: Erik is stuck in his own mind replaying the events that occurred in the opera house nearly a year ago. When he suddenly hears footsteps echoing through his tunnels he has no choice but to go investigate. When it is the last person he wants to see in the world, he somehow manages to hold down his own frustrations long enough to accept their presence since they bring news of Christine.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so I am new to this site and writing fanfiction in general. This is the first ever one I have written and hopefully will get to finish (though I have no idea how I am going to end it). I know the intro is a bit boring but hopefully as I develop a plot it will get better. I am always open for criticism so if you catch any typos feel free to call me out on them.

It is dark and gloomy in the catacombs of France, but for Erik this atmosphere is acceptable. He has never been accustomed to the comfort of sunlight, or the caresses of a morning breeze. No, to Erik the only place that has welcomed him with open arms is the darkness of the underground, despite how lonely and depressing it is.

He once had thought that there was more to life than the bleakness, but months of wallowing in his self-hatred has made him believe otherwise. It has been nearly a year since that fateful day, the day when the opera house burned down. The day when his beloved Christine had left him with a sorrowful and unforgiving goodbye. Yes, he knew from her gaze that it was condemnation he was looking at. After that night she had seen Erik for what he truly was, a monster undeserving of any love or affection. What man would invest his life into building an opera house only to have it destroyed by his own hand in a single night. No longer the angel she once believed he was, but the demon spawn who destroys everything it touches, or at least that’s what he tells himself.

Despite the time that has gone by, he cannot forget that day, its events playing over and over in his head to the point of insanity. Not a day goes by where he does not relive that pitiful moment where Christine bid him her last farewell. If there were a hell worse than this, he would wish to become a part of it just to escape this chamber that seems to only house the memory of a love that would never exist.

It is in this moment of his usual daily brooding that something occurs which is not a part of his usual schedule, he hears noise. Faint, but present he hears the tapping of footsteps that resound deep within the passageways of his labyrinth, ones that could not be mistaken for the usual scurrying of rats. No, they were clear footsteps that resounded loudly though the hallways and were getting closer.

Erik only now became aware of his mistake in removing the traps he had so intricately placed throughout his lair. In a desperate attempt to keep his former hope alive, he removed them should Christine ever decided to come back and return to him, despite how delusional that sounds now. He was not naïve in this decision however, he knew he was still a wanted man. However, his desire to see Christine outweighed the negatives despite the dangers. He would not want her harming herself after all if she were ever to come looking for him again. If an intruder were to venture into his territory, he believes he is more than capable of handling the threat as is the case now.

Quickly, Erik gathered himself and began tracking the direction of the intruding footsteps, lasso tucked safely under his cloak. As he was approaching the location where he knew the intruder would be, he stopped. He could see gentle shadows reflected against the wall with what could only be a torch. The outline was of a single person, a man. From the imprint of his shadow he discerned that the man was unthreatening, but he could never be too sure. He made his way a bit closer only to be left with a painful feeling in his chest when realization hit him.

Of course, of course his only visitor for the first time in ages would be the obnoxious Vicomte de Chagny. Forbid it be the person whom he would have wanted to see most in the world and would have given his life for. He would have given up everything to simply gaze at her porcelain face once more.

Though he knows what he feels towards Christine like he might intimately know an opera piece, he was never quite sure how he felt about the Chagny. Though he remembers the hatred and jealousy he felt with so much as the mention of his name, he is also the one whom he entrusted his beloved to in a last effort to give Christine a chance at happiness.

He looked on in amusement at the Chagny boy as he strode through his tunnels with a slight tremble, of fear no doubt. The tunnels dark and unwelcoming, he could only wonder if the pompous aristocrat had gone mad searching for him in a place that would no doubt only welcome death for him.

He waited quietly and patiently in the shadows for a bit longer, curious as to what the boy was planning to do next, aside from wondering around clumsily in the dark. Alas, he was becoming impatient with his own inactivity and decided to break the tension that had been building up without the other noticing.

“So, what brings you here into my dark abyss?” he said clearly and confidently, tinged with a slight tone of irritation. The boy of course was not prepared for the sudden break of silence and jumped when he heard the phantoms voice echoing throughout the tunnel. Raoul looks in all directions and as expected, the phantom is nowhere in sight.

“Phantom,” Raoul mutters, hoping the intimidation he feels does not show through. “I am here not of my own will but of that of Christine.” This of course grabs the phantoms attention immediately. “Christine you say? Why must she send you, is she not capable of coming down to see me herself, or is she still terrified of the monster she knows lurks in these tunnels?”

Raoul is not quite sure how to respond to his sudden inquiries, but he tries to push through his anxiety and deliver the message he was sent to deliver. “I do not know how to respond to that since I am not a mind reader. I have come here on an errand and nothing more, and I wish to complete it,” he says with more force than intended.

Erik considers this for a moment and decides it is worth it to put up with this obnoxious brat and hear what he has to say. Any word from Christine he decides is better than hearing none at all, regardless of whom it may come from. “Very well,” he says. “You can relay your message to me and then you will leave.”

Raoul takes this as his cue and reaches into his coat to pull out a single white envelope that had begun crumpling slightly at the edges. “This is from Christine,” he says. “Though there are details that I could tell you personally, I think they would be meaningless coming from me,” he utters obviously wishing to end their interaction.

Erik takes the letter more gently than necessary for a piece of paper but does so knowing that it contains a message from the one whom he loves above all else in the world. Once that letter is in his possession, the vicomte is now a distant memory. On the letter, he can make out the gentle writing of his name in Christine’s delicate handwriting. He takes it and begins to venture back down to his lair without so much as a second glance to the boy.

Raoul watches as the flames of his torch flicker for a slight moment before the phantom vanishes, the whiteness of his mask forever haunting. He prays a silent prayer in his mind in hopes that the contents of the letter will not create a dilemma that would further complicate issues with Christine and her life decisions. If the expected reaction does manifest itself however, Raoul knows it his duty to protect and defend Christine and her decisions no matter the cost. Raoul had sworn to protect his childhood friend to all extremes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 2. I've had it done for a while I just haven't had the time to edit it. Its a pretty straightforward chapter and there isn't much action in it but I hope you enjoy.

Erik heads down to his lair immediately after taking the letter from the vicomte’s grasp. He hurries down the tunnels far faster than he should, but he wishes to gaze upon the words of his lovely Christine in an environment where he feels comfortable. Once he reaches his lair, he immediately goes towards an armchair he has placed next to an empty fireplace. As he lights the fireplace, he begins to reminisce on the time he had spent with Christine and the role she was meant to play in his life.

He takes in the warm atmosphere that surrounds him and remembers how many of the chambers in his home were designed specifically with Christine in mind. The sitting room he was currently in was furnished with plush sofas and chairs, cushions lined with soft red velvet. The walls were a shade of emerald meant to compliment the sofas with a bookshelf in the corner and a coffee table in the center. This room, like many of the others looked like it could be a part of any home. Anywhere that is not several kilometers under the earth’s surface that is. He wanted Christine to have as normal of a life she could with him, but in the end his efforts weren’t enough.

He broke himself from his musings and glanced at the letter in his hands once more. He cannot stop tracing his name with his finger knowing it was written with Christine’s delicate hand. He admires the envelope a bit longer before finally readying himself to absorb the letter’s contents. He could not help the feeling of anxiety that began to surface as his mind races with questions as to what could be important enough for Christine to desire contact after so long. His theories making him more anxious as the minutes ticked by.

He decides that he has spent enough time dwelling and finally tears open the wax seal on the back. It is then he begins musing again and focuses on that one detail. The seal is a simple red wax with no stamp on it. Though he might not have been expecting the Chagny seal of her husband, he was at least expecting an intricate design of some sort with the amount of money her husband has.

He decides to push his observations aside and finally pulls out the letter. He reads the first line and already his heart is filled with a feeling of warmth and sadness knowing it nothing more than just a polite introduction. His mind lingers on it none the less.

_Dearest Erik,_

_ I know it has been far too long since I have sent any word to you and you must be wondering what I have been doing with my life since we last parted. You should know that at the present moment I feel peace and contentment and you should not worry about me on that front. So much has happened in these past few months that I feel it is necessary that I start from the begging if you were to understand the motives for me wanting to contact you now._

Erik feels relieved knowing that Christine is alright and well, but despite the reassurance of her wellbeing, he wonders what the problem might be that she is contacting him now. Is that pompous brat not treating her right, does she miss and yearn for the stage, or the most ambitious of his theories, does she miss him? He decides to put aside his thoughts and continues reading her letter.

_ I guess I should begin on the day of our parting. It was not an easy decision for me to make I assure you, but I did what I felt was right at the time. I am sorry but I could not accept the life you were offering me. Though I care for you dearly as I have come to care for you as a teacher and a friend, I simply could not accept a life where I would be bound underground away from the light of day._

This hit Erik like a ton of bricks, he knew that Christine would never want to stay with him, no matter how much effort he put into making this underground cavern look and feel like a home. He knew that no matter how hard he tried he could never escape the fact that he was a monster, even in the eyes of whom he loved most. Despite the aching in his chest that has now begun to surface, he decided it best to continue reading the letter before he loses the courage to do so.

_ This does not however mean that I was left with a guiltless conscious knowing I had left you to suffer in solitude while I enjoyed freedom which at the time I considered irreplaceable. I longed for a life full of love, joy, and happiness, and it seemed that the only way to achieve such a vision was to live a life with Raoul._

Erik tensed at the last line, a tinge of anger flowing through his veins. She left him. She left him knowing how much she had destroyed him while chasing an illusion of a rose-tinted future with that fop she calls a husband. He let himself seethe in his anger a while longer before deciding to continue reading the letter.

_ I thought that once I married Raoul my life would become everything I had dreamed it would be. A fairytale in which I could reminisce on until my last day. Unfortunately, that is not what destiny intended for me. The days leading up to my marriage with Raoul I became gravely ill and was on the verge of death. I was bedridden for weeks on end and the doctors did not believe I would recover. I was in pain as my chest would not stop heaving and me coughing. I could not stop the tears that would stream down my lovely fiancé’s eyes as I withered away._

Erik’s lower lip began to quiver as he held the paper. Fear sparked through him like no other knowing that Christine could have been gone forever. Christine was not meant to know of suffering or the cruelness of the world. She was meant to be a ray of sunshine on this bleak joke of a planet. If he could, he would absorb all of her sufferings for her so she should never have to suffer another day in her life. He knew getting mentally sidetracked was not helping him get to the point of the letter any sooner, which is why Erik decided that from this point on he was going to finish reading the letter without any distractions. With an objective in mind, he decided to trudge forward no matter what the letter might contain.

_ This was one of the worst periods of my life. I could not stop the tears of my fiancé who loved me above all else, I could not stop the lingering guilt of knowing how disturbed you would feel if you knew I was dying, I could not ease the pain of either my friend Meg or Madame Giry as they both tried to comfort me in what appeared to be my final days. I was left contemplating on all of the pain I had caused in their lives and the struggles they were all forced to endure on my behalf. It is a guilt which has burned itself into the very core of my soul and has not left me since that day._

_ One day however something incredible happened, my chest was not burning as I had become accustomed too and the heaving coughs had suddenly resided into smaller pants for breath. As if a miracle, I began to feel better and was soon on my way to recovery. I was incredibly relieved as was everyone around me and I felt a joy I had never felt._

_ Despite this joy, other uncertainties arose during my recovery that I could not simply will away. The guilt of which I was contemplating on when I was dying was still present and haunted me for months on end after my recovery. I began to feel as if I did not deserve the things I had been granted in life, and even more so with the heavy weight I had carrying on my chest._

_ I know deep in my heart that though you are a man who has committed many crimes, you are also one that is driven by passion. You did much of what you did all those months ago because of me. In a way, I am as much to blame for what happened as you are. Much of what did happen could have been prevented had I responded to you better the first time, had I not shied away from your face, had I not hidden from you in hopes of escaping you, had I not felt so helpless in the moment and made decisions which could have bettered the outcome for everyone. But yet again, I was selfish and only thought of my own pain and suffering. I thought that the only way to escape this suffering was to avoid the problem altogether and consequently avoid you. Because of this, I am sorry and deeply regret everything I have done which has led you to the point where you are now. I have no way of repairing my actions or undoing the past. The opera house is no more, and the lives lost on that day cannot be brought back._

_ It is because of this I have escaped to a place where I am able to better reflect on my decisions and my guilt. A place that allows the contemplative atmosphere necessary for me to be able to repent for my past decisions all while helping me move forward allowing me to forgive myself as many of those around me wish me too._

_ You should know that in the end I never did marry Raoul, but rather called off our engagement shortly after my full recovery. Raoul was devastated, but my conscious would not let me live peacefully as I had before and decided not to go through with the wedding._

_ It was shortly after calling off my engagement that I decided to enter a convent in a small town away from Paris. Here I spend my days in service to God and to those who need aid. I will have you know that there is also an orphanage, and I take pleasure in teaching the children music as you once taught me._

_ I know that my apologies would never be enough to undo all the pain I have caused you, but I feel as if I need to voice this apology somewhere even though I know this letter might not reach you. I left it in the care of Raoul, and knowing your history I am not sure if this letter’s delivery played out as I intended. Still, if it does reach you, I am happy to have this communication no matter how small it may seem. I hope you somehow find all the happiness you have been longing for and you can live a long and fulfilling life. Thank you for being both a teacher and a friend, even though I did not appreciate those two things at the time._

_Sincerely,_

_Christine Daae_

Erik stared at the letter dumbfounded, unable to process what he had just read.


	3. Chapter 3

Erik had no idea how to process the information he had received from Christine’s letter. He was dumbstruck, which was unfamiliar for him since he has always been two steps ahead of his adversaries, and three against anyone who could be perceived as a threat. For once in his life Erik had not the slightest idea how to respond, what his next move should be or if he should make any at all.

Christine was gone, but not in the life he had imagined for her and had given her the privilege of escaping to. She was meant to be living a life of luxury, the kind of life a perfect woman like Christine deserved, not holed up in a monastery forever hiding her talent from the world. A woman like Christine with a voice so ethereal should not be confined to a cloister to have her voice echo upon barren walls singing to nonliving statues, but should be placed upon all the finest opera houses in Europe, each considering it a gift to have her on their stage.

Erik knew he should feel angry. Though the twinge of irritation remained, there was a greater sense of relief flowing through his body.

“She did not marry,” he says aloud to himself as if to confirm that the contents of the letter were in fact real and not simply figments of his imagination. He looked over the letter once more to try and verify this one simple fact and brand it into the back of his eyelids. She is not married, she has instead condemned herself to a loveless life of solitude that she was not meant for. No, Christine was the kind of woman that deserved to be pampered and showered with love and affection every waking moment of the day. That she was not living this life as of this moment leaves him to only one conclusion in this array questioning.

It is the Chagny’s fault. He should have known that leaving Christine in the hands of an incapable fop would be enough to scare her away from men altogether. Had he been such a horrible lover that she found no other solution to escape him permanently other than to abandon the outside world. Despite his certainty of the boy being the reason for Christine’s strange decision, the nagging feeling in the back of his mind remained that he is ignoring the main purpose of the letter.

She wants to apologize to him, not only for her behavior, but for everything that has happened throughout the course of him trying to turn her into the Opera Populaire’s prima donna. She has no reason to feel guilty for what happened in that time whatsoever. Christine did nothing wrong, it was everyone else who kept getting in the way and received what they had coming to them as a result. Why should she have to pay for their stupid decisions knowing that no one crosses the Phantom of the Opera and lives to tell about it.

Erik is confused and tired of trying to decipher Christine’s mind and her life choices. Though he is relieved to hear that she did not love the Chagny deeply enough to spend the rest of her life with him, he is also saddened that she would never get to experience a happy life of companionship with someone who could have offered it to her properly, him.

He knows his mind is treading down a dangerous path by contemplating illusions of a life with Christine. That had been his downfall before, but he will not sit around knowing that she will die miserable and alone because of some false sense of duty to the insignificant people that happened to be in the background of their story. No, he will break Christine out of her delusions and show her that there is more to life than just feeling bad about the past and force her to see reason through her own confusion.

*

Raoul knew that there was no point in dwelling on the visit he had made to the phantom a few hours prior. It was over and done with and yet he could not fight this lingering feeling that told him that this is where everything takes a turn for the worst for poor Christine, knowing how obsessive the phantom can be.

He tried his best to dissuade her out of it, to forget about contacting the phantom and allow herself to unpack all of which has been bothering her for the past few months. He begins remembering the days following Christine’s recovery, how her eyes had lost their glimmer and how that vivid and warm part of her personality had just shuddered and died alongside her withering body. Though Christine’s body recuperated and recaptured its healthy glow, her eyes had not. Her eyes were still those of a dying person and it ached him dearly to see her drown further and further into depression.

It pained him to see Christine in this state and being unable to do anything to better her condition. He tried to talk to her about it, but most days she just remained silent and dazed as if her mind was in a distant world. Whatever was bothering her she only felt it appropriate enough to tell him bits and pieces and never the full story.

Raoul broke out of his musings and began to observe his surroundings in hopes of deterring his mind away from what he knows will be melancholic thoughts. He looks around his bedroom, eyes focusing on his furnishings for mere seconds before deciding to give his attention elsewhere. He glanced at the book he had previously been reading resting on a nearby table. He looked inattentively at his dresser, bed, and nightstand hoping that somehow by becoming conscious in the moment, he would be able to escape what he knows would be another sad night of depressive questioning.

Raoul closed his eyes for a slight moment when suddenly he hears a slight creaking noise coming from his balcony. Though uninterested to see what might have just been a cat, he turns his head regardless and sees a sight that he had not expected to see in a million years. There, standing on his balcony is none other than the phantom, a new feeling of anxiety creeping up his stomach at the sight. He wished now more than ever that it were a cat.

Raoul stared at the phantom a bit longer than intended as the tension in the room increased with each passing second. The scene itself was very uncomfortable, him just standing there looking at the phantom and the phantom in return just staring back. It was the phantom who made the first move to end the unbearable silence.

“What have you done?” he says in an accusatory tone. “I know that whatever Christine is going through is your fault and I demand to know where she is.” Raoul became increasingly more confused as the minutes ticked by. Of all the things the phantom could have started with he chose the most aggressive approach possible. Instead of responding to his ridiculous demands, Raoul thought it safer to begin by stating the obvious.

“I see you have read the letter,” he said as nonchalantly as he could muster, this of course only irritating the phantom further in his rage.

“This is not a game Vicomte, tell me where she is,” responded the phantom, anger becoming more visible with each syllable.

Erik would not have searched out Raoul in the first place had he not been his only outlet for information. Madame Giry had left Paris not too long ago and he had no one here whom he could question other than the Vicomte. He decided that reeling in his anger until he received the information he wanted was the best course of action.

Raoul observed the tension in the phantom’s shoulders, he knew that he was trying his best not to put a noose around his neck as they talked. He knew he had to tread carefully if he did not want to end up dead.

“I apologize phantom, but I believe that is information which I cannot give you,” he said in a swift and relaxed tone further irritating the phantom.

Erik is done talking to the Vicomte and decides it better to begin threatening him. “Do not make me force that information out of you Vicomte, I have ways of making you talk.”

Raoul did not let the effects the threat had on him show on his face. Instead he thought of a different strategy to talk to the phantom.

“Christine has decided to take some time to herself to think. If she wanted to see either of us she would not have decided to enter a convent in the first place,” he said hoping to end the phantom’s meddling; though he doubts it, he knows how obsessive he can be after all.

Erik scoffs at the Vicomte’s refutation and decides to offer one of his own. “Does not want to see us you say? It seems to me that Christine did want to speak to me, whatever quarrel she must have had with you undoubtedly is due to you not having the ability to satisfy her somehow,” Erik teases as he tries to provoke the Vicomte further. He knows that he is lying to himself by thinking that Christine would ever want to intentionally interact with him if not for dire circumstances, but he plays on this a bit further just to irritate the Vicomte.

Raoul does not take the obvious bait and instead responds to his remark by pointing out the obvious. “If you think that the decision which Christine has made has something to do with me then you are so wrongly mistaken. If anyone has failed Christine in any way it’s you since you cannot even understand the purpose of a simple letter,” he remarked with a cool edge in his voice.

Like most things involving the Vicomte, this irritated Erik and tipped him over the edge, all false pretenses of formality gone. He was not going to let the vicomte have the last laugh, his pride not permitting it so instead he decides to attack him head on no longer caring if his anger shows through. “What, do you think Christine would be daft enough to throw away her life had something not been gravely wrong with it! Whose else’s fault could it be other than yours that she decided to hide in a nunnery because you had somehow made her unhappy!” Erik was shouting, becoming amused with the Vicomte’s lack of composure after his statement.

Raoul was becoming more and more irritated as the conversation unfolded. If the phantom wanted to bring up shortcomings, then he would gladly oblige. “Whose fault it is you say, are you really one to ask that question?” He says passive aggressively. “I cannot think of anyone else to blame but you, phantom! You had not been here when she was dying, you had not seen how much she was suffering from the weight of her own guilt from the death and destruction that YOU caused! If there is anyone you want to blame, blame yourself! One, for causing Christine to suffer with a guilty conscious in the first place, and two, for not thinking Christine capable of making her own life decisions like an adult!” Raoul was shouting at this point and only stared at the phantom, as if challenging him to refute him.

Erik of course dwindled on his words for a moment before refocusing on his main objective. He let the shock of the words pass through him and decided to continue with his original line of questioning.

“I will not ask you again Vicomte, where is Christine!” he shouted.

Raoul was about to respond when all of a sudden there was a knock on his door. “Raoul, are you okay? Who are you shouting at?” Raoul immediately tensed and lowered the tone of his voice for just a moment. “No one Philippe, I was just voicing some frustrations out loud was all,” he muttered in a submissive voice.

“I am coming in Raoul, is that alright?” questioned Philippe as he turned the door handle without his brother’s approval. Raoul quickly turned his head towards the balcony only to find it empty, no phantom in sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting this chapter ready took longer than expected since it took a while to capture the vibe I was aiming for. This is what I consider Raoul and Erik's first real interaction and it needed to be perfect (as perfect as you can get with two people shouting at each other). On another note Philippe is in this chapter which I am excited about since I was originally not planing on putting him into this story but here we are. He's now going to have a role in this story which I am actually happy to write about. Thank for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

Ironically enough, Erik had not escaped back to his lair as he had originally intended. Instead, he remained in the trees of the Chagny estate near Raoul’s balcony; though not close enough to be detected. From his angle he had a clear view of the vicomte and the man who had forced him to escape the room so suddenly. Erik takes a closer look and notices small details about the man, like how he shares the same blond hair and blue eyes with the vicomte. He does however appear to be more matured with slight traces of fine wrinkles. He seems like a man who has seen his fair share of the world’s grievances, particularly because of that weighted look on his face and his tired expression. Though the similarities are obvious, he waits for the conformation of who this man is.

“Brother, what are you doing here? I thought that you were not coming home from your trip until tomorrow,” says Raoul visibly trying to calm himself from his previous argument.

“There were some issues with my business partners and we unfortunately had to cut our meetings shorter than intended.” Philippe answers the question but is still left with his own questions as to what in god’s name was that noise earlier. Seeing no other way to breach the subject his brother was trying so hard to avoid, he decides to be frank.

“You know I am not deaf Raoul, what was that shouting I heard in here?”

Raoul becomes nervous because of this sudden interrogation. He cannot come up with any excuses and just stands nervously in front of his brother. What excuse could he possibly make at this point, that there was a deranged lunatic who broke into his room to ask about his ex-fiancé? Well, that last thought isn’t necessarily an excuse. Regardless, he cannot tell Philippe that. He doesn’t know why he feels he should defend the phantom but does so if only to avoid a scandal.

“I am sorry Philippe, I am just really tired and felt like voicing my frustrations is all. Forgive me for making you worry.”

That was not the answer Philippe was hoping to hear but decides to put the matter to rest, for now. He observes Raoul closer and notices that in fact his brother does look very exhausted. He has deep shadows under his eyes and his usual glowing complexion is looking rather pale and unhealthy. He knows that Raoul has had trouble sleeping since that whole fiasco with his former fiancé, but he should take better care of himself. Though Philippe knows he shouldn’t drop the issue, he decides to leave Raoul to himself. He can badger his brother about health and wellness some other time.

“It’s okay Raoul you have no reason to apologize to me, but you should get some rest. I will leave you to retire for the night and we will speak in the morning.”

“Thank you brother, and I really am happy that you are home again,” responds Raoul in a very deflated tone.

Philippe nods to his brother signaling his exit but not before glancing at the open balcony doors as he heads out.

Erik still tucked safely in his hiding place notices this and automatically feels threatened by this small gesture. Does he know he is out there? Erik is kicking himself for letting his guard down so easily in the heat of his argument with the vicomte. How could he have been so careless, letting himself be heard when issues such as these could arise because of such irresponsibility. Erik feels as though he’s losing his touch. Have his months of brooding over Christine really made him that rusty? Even if that is the case, it won’t matter. Now he has a new motivation in life, one that will require all his previously acquired skills. He will bring Christine back at any cost.

Erik glances back into the vicomte’s room and notices him brooding, his head resting in the palms of his hands. If Erik has ever seen a more pathetic sight he cannot recall, but still he keeps in mind that this brooding idiot is his only key to finding Christine. Whether he likes it or not, his only option is to stay close to the vicomte in hopes that he leaks out any information as to where she might be. Who knows, maybe by searching his room he might find a stray letter addressed to him by Christine. For now, all he can do is wait.

*

Philippe takes his time walking to his bedroom seeing as he has no reason to rush. For a while now he has been concerned with his brother’s odd behavior. He has become a mope, a pessimistic person that cannot hold a candle to his former joyous self. He knows for certain that his brother’s behavior is all due to that singer Christine Daae. Philippe remembers how happy Raoul was when he first introduced her to him, that glint in his eyes and that defiant expression should he ever try to oppose their union. Though he would have preferred Raoul to take an interest in a lady of equal standing, he consented none the less to their relationship.

This was all before he found out the history of the girl however. It was not hard to discover with how widespread the rumors were. Philippe was disturbed by the stories of the woman haunted by the man with the disfigured face who terrorized the inhabitants of the Opera Populaire. With all the press that surrounded the infamous opera house after its tragic affair all of France would have become aware by now.

Philippe would not consider himself an anxious man but merely a cautious one. He knew the kinds of people his brother had come to associate himself with and he was well aware of the consequences that could potentially follow. His brother chose to remain with the opera singer and as a result inherited her problems which had nearly gotten him killed. Philippe had not been in Paris during this time and was not able to prevent Raoul from placing himself in such compromising positions. Had he been in Paris, he would have prevented Raoul from ever speaking to the singer again and moved him to one of their countryside estates where he could clear his head. But alas, when he returned from his trip he found Raoul had brought a guest to stay with them in their estate. Not just any guest, but his “fiancé.”

Philippe had not been pleased by the news but decided not to show his disappointment to his brother. He accepted Christine into his home and eventually even came to accept her as a future member of the Chagny family. That was until the next big misfortune made its way into their lives and Christine got sick, then better, and eventually left his younger brother forever. Though he had been upset with Christine for hurting his brother as much as she did, he also respected her more than he had in the past. This seemed like the first time in her life she did something spontaneous of her own volition rather that going along with what was expected. Either way she left Raoul a mess which he now obviously has to clean up, even though he has had little success.

No matter what he does he cannot make Raoul happy, and it seems that he only falls further and further into despair as time passes. He does seem to regain some happiness whenever he visits Christine, but the feeling fades quickly with every trip home.

Then there is the conversation he had with his coachman upon arrival. He had come home earlier than expected only to find his second coach missing. When he asked the staff where it was they informed him his brother had asked to be taken to the ruins of the opera house. Instinctively, Philippe knew this could only mean trouble. He waited for his brother to return home but did not make his presence known and neither had his staff. He decided not to confront his brother yet since he heard from his staff that Raoul had returned somber from his little trip and wished not to be disturbed. He intended not to speak to Raoul until morning, that was until he heard the shouting.

He heard Raoul and what was undoubtedly the voice of another man shouting at each other from the other end of the hallway. Raoul must not have been aware he was making such a fuss, but the other individual seemed to be more calculating with his tone but had also lost his temper in the end.

Whoever that was Philippe was not willing to allow such a disturbance in his home, which was why he barged into Raoul’s bedroom. To his surprise only Raoul was present, but that left an extremely bitter taste in his mouth. It seems this guest did not wish to be found and had hidden off somewhere. He could tell from the lack of movement they were no longer in the room. Philippe does not ignore a gut feeling when he feels one and thus will remain on high alert for the time being. It’s disturbing enough knowing this individual was able to slip easily in and out of their home. Whoever this person is, if they wish to harm his brother in any way, he will show no mercy.

*

Raoul was exhausted. He was tired and fed up with his own emotional turmoil. It had been bad enough when Christine decided to end their engagement, but now being confronted by the phantom again only made him want to crawl into a corner and die. He is fed up with the conflict that always seems to follow whenever he decides to protect Christine. He so dearly wishes that his life would return to normal. Knowing this, Raoul still feels as though he cannot have a normal life without Christine present. Something in Raoul’s mind snaps and he just wants to avoid everything. He wants to forget about his aches and woes and escape to a time when things were peaceful. There is not much peace to be found with the phantom around however. Raoul is not sure how he will get rid of the phantom but decides it is a bridge he will cross when he gets to it. He is so tired of being tossed around that he finally grants Christine’s parting words consideration.

“_Live a happy life Raoul. You know there are many roads to happiness, just pick one._” She said that as if it were so simple, as if he could easily forget the girl he had loved since childhood. That he would easily forget years of longing to see her again, to imagine a life together only to have it cruelly swept away. How could he have happiness when Christine herself was the embodiment of happiness? It’s like asking crops to grow without the sun. Raoul doubts he will ever be happy again, but he will at least try to make his life return to normal, to how it was before the opera house, how it used to be before he reconnected with Christine and met the phantom. He will try his hardest to escape his own depression, for the sake of his own sanity and Christine.

Only now does Raoul recall that there was an art gallery in Paris that wishes for the Chagny patronage. He supposes he can pay a visit tomorrow and see if he is willing offer support. Raoul decides he has been stuck in his head enough for one day and calls it a night. He knows he has had trouble sleeping in the past but hopefully since he is falling asleep in a better mood it won’t be a problem.

From this day on Raoul will no longer distract himself with the meaningless phantoms of his past.

*

Erik sat in that tree far longer than he had intended. He regretted his decision heavily since all he got in return was a perfect view of the comte’s glare and a moping vicomte. He knew that he preferred not to be stuck with the vicomte, but what choice did he have? Madame Giry was no longer in Paris and his alternate sources would not have the kind of information he was looking for. This leaves him with this poor last resort. He will wait until the vicomte is asleep to search the room. Hopefully, he will find clues as to where Christine might have run off to. When he noticed the vicomte’s breath steadying, he decided to make his move.

Erik snuck in quietly and quickly. Sneaking into places has never been an obstacle for him, and it certainly wasn’t one now. He swiftly made his way into the room and immediately began focusing on the interior details he could not make out from the window. He noticed a dresser and a small coffee table with a plush chair on one side of the room, and a nightstand and Raoul’s bed on the other. Though he knew searching the vicomte’s room was the best course of action, he inevitably felt that this search would yield no results. Raoul had delivered that letter from Christine personally, meaning that she has held some form of in-person contact with him. He has no idea how long it had been since they broke off their engagement since Christine’s letter never specified, but he can only assume it was not too long ago. Establishing a long-distance relationship does not seem like something that would sit well with the vicomte. He probably meets her personally more than necessary. Yes, like the annoying lapdog he is he probably goes back to Christine every opportunity he gets.

Despite his doubts, Erik begins his search in the dresser and the coffee table. The dresser of course yields no results and the coffee table contains various books and documents, none of which pertain to his investigation. The only other place he can search is the vicomte’s nightstand. Erik makes his way over and happens to glance at the sleeping vicomte.

He hates the fact that some people can be so lucky in this world and be given everything on a silver platter while others are left with the scraps. Raoul has had everything from the moment of his birth. Money, status, a loving family, and a handsome face. It is all some cruel joke of fate. Someone as undeserving as the Chagny be given every luxury in society while he and all his talents had been rejected because of his face. He who could have contributed so much to the world if only it had accepted him, but instead he had been rejected and humiliated. It angers Erik to think of such things, which is why he decides to refocus on the task at hand. He does not want to accidentally murder the boy in his sleep now does he.

Erik finally draws his attention away from the sleeping Chagny and opens the top drawer of the nightstand and finds what appear to be small trinkets. The trinkets he finds are small wooden toy soldiers painted with red and blue uniforms along with brown horses. Erik tries not to laugh as he searches the drawer. He knew the Chagny was just a boy, but to be so in more ways than one was simply hilarious. Erik knew he was getting sidetracked, but his mind could not help mocking the thought that this was the ‘man’ that was going to marry his Christine.

He turned once again to look at the boy’s sleeping frame if only to confirm his own thoughts. The boy looked delicate in his sleep, his shoulder length blond hair no longer neatly maintained but spread wildly around his face and pillow. His lips were puffy and slightly parted with faint traces of breath escaping. His blue eyes that he had come to despise were no longer staring at him with anger and hatred but were hidden behind his gentle lids, highlighting the overall softness of his skin.

Though Erik loathed to admit it, there was a pure innocence that was radiating from him in his sleep. A sweetness that is not easily observable when he is awake. This peaceful and relaxed youth matches what he would expect from a person who keeps toys in their nightstand. A fragile and delicate person unable to defend themselves, just like a child.

Erik decides he had given enough of his thoughts to the vicomte and continues searching the drawer. At the very bottom of the drawer he finds an envelope and a folded piece of paper. Erik quickly grabs the items and decides he will begin with the envelope. In it is a letter, but not from someone Erik knows or cares about. It seems to be a letter from an old acquaintance of Raoul telling him of his travels and how he wishes to see him again to tell him of his travels in person.

Erik quickly tosses the letter aside since it is not what he came for. He then moves on to the folded piece of paper and finds something that does make his heart skip a beat, a letter from Christine. He quickly skims it only to find that it is not a letter, but a short note with a simple message.

It reads “_Raoul, I know you are worried about me, but you do not need to visit every couple of weeks to talk to me. You can contact me anytime through letters remember. Please don’t trouble yourself on my behalf -Christine_.”

This small snippet of information confirms Erik’s suspicions. The vicomte has not yet contacted Christine through mail in her new location. He finds this irritating, but Erik will just have to bear spending more time around the vicomte is he wishes to ever find Christine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next chapter. I feel bad for having Erik constantly bash Raoul in his mind but that's just how I imagine Erik (for now at least). Thank you for reading and feedback is always appreciated.  
P.S. I might have accidentally formatted it incorrectly because I deleted a few small things by accident and was too lazy to go look for them. Hopefully nothing major just a space or two.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys I am uploading this chapter sooner than usual because I might be a bit busy over the next few days and be thrown off my writing schedule (like I have one). This is a Raoul-centric chapter so hopefully this gives you a better idea of the tone I'm aiming for. I have no betas so hopefully there aren't too many grammar mistakes. Enjoy!   
~DNS

Raoul awoke the next morning feeling more tired than he had the night before. Though his insomnia had been getting better as the days went by, he still had those occasional days where he would fall asleep but not feel rested. Yesterday was one such night. Looks like in the end the stress got to him, and he was feeling so confident the previous night about his quality of sleep. It was probably the weight of visiting the phantom to give him the letter and then having that same man invade his home demanding to know where Christine is that got to him.

He knows that nothing comes easy when dealing with the Phantom of the Opera, but despite this knowledge he decides to stick with his original plan. Though he knows for sure the phantom will visit him again demanding to know where Christine is, he is determined to forget the less than pleasant ghosts of his past and develop a ‘normal’ routine just like Christine had asked him to. He will begin by visiting the gallery sponsored by the Fine Arts Academy that has been seeking his patronage. With the opera house no longer taking up the majority of his time, he thinks that the art gallery could become the perfect distraction from his depression.

With a goal set Raoul dresses for the day and heads downstairs to join his brother for breakfast. He still feels nervous knowing that the previous night he hadn’t given his brother a clear answer when he asked about the noise. Though Raoul feels bad about lying, he did not want to tell the truth knowing how things could further spiral out of control.

Raoul knows his brother quite well after all. If Raoul were ever in any danger he knew that his brother’s protective side would flare up in an instant. It is this small detail in his brother’s behavior that makes him still feel like a child even though he was legally an adult. It’s not like Raoul does not understand however. He knows that his brother is only protective of him because he is the last Chagny to remain in the main estate. His sisters had moved out when they had both married leaving only Philippe and Raoul to fend for themselves. If Raoul weren’t in the estate, Philippe would be left all alone in the massive house.

Raoul hurried down stairs only to be met with his butler and an empty table. Sensing the vicomte’s curiosity his butler quickly made his way towards Raoul to explain why his brother was absent.

“Vicomte, I am sorry to inform you that your brother’s business colleagues got word of his early return to Paris and had requested an early morning meeting. He apologizes for not being able to attend breakfast with you and promises to make it up to you somehow.” The butler concludes his small speech just as Raoul was sitting down and helping himself to the meal.

“It is quite alright, I know how busy my brother can get,” responded Raoul with a slight sigh of relief escaping his lips.

“I think I shall take my leave sir and let you finish your meal in peace. If you need anything just call for me and I should assist you shortly.” The butler then bowed and quickly left the room.

Though Raoul is used to eating alone when his brother goes off on business, he is still a bit spoiled and is dependent on his presence when he is in Paris. Before Raoul had decided to spend so much time at the opera house he could have easily been found reading on the green couch in his brother’s study. It was a set routine for them while his brother would look over business contracts or things relating to his work. He knows his brother has only become more occupied since deciding to create business connection in manufacturing. Even so, Raoul could not help feeling a little sad.

As Raoul continued eating, his thoughts drifted and eventually he could not help thinking of the confrontation he had with the phantom last night.

He knew that something would happen if he tried to search for the phantom to deliver Christine’s letter. He knew that no matter what path in life Christine took the phantom would be only a few steps behind her. He however was not expecting to be dragged into this mess a second time. Having Raoul become involved once more with the phantom hadn’t been Christine’s intention. Raoul had assured her a million times that what happened in the opera house was not her fault but that of the insane ghost who terrorized them. Despite this she still felt guilty for having dragged Raoul into her personal problems with the phantom and have him suffer through his torment alongside her. It seems that no matter what Christine does she will never truly be free of him.

It is because of this Raoul created a brilliant method for contacting Christine. Should the phantom ever try to trace his steps, he would not be able to track down Christine. He would never address a letter to Christine directly but to various intermediaries who will have it delivered for him. Raoul initially thought it was a bit overkill, but now that he had met the phantom again not once but twice he’s grateful for his foresight.

Though Raoul doubts it, he hopes to never sees the phantom again. Despite the turmoil his life has been since Christine and he parted, he was serious about finding a semblance of normalcy. It is what Christine had begged him to do hundreds of times and it is what the phantom’s visit last night had tipped him over the edge into doing. He was tired of the continuing depressive cycle and if the phantom was only there to make it worse, then he would happily ignore the man as if he didn’t exist.

Happy with his introspection, Raoul quickly finished his breakfast and made his way towards the front door. He had plans today after all and he’d be damned if the phantom was to get in the way of that. Without any hindrances or distractions, Raoul hopped onto his carriage and instructed his driver towards the opposite side of town.

*

Erik after searching the vicomte’s room decided to search the remainder of the estate and found absolutely nothing that would help him locate Christine. After finding that small note in the nightstand, Erik had not found even the slightest trace of a trail. He searched the entire estate from Raoul’s bedroom, to his private study, to even Christine’s temporary bedroom.

That room though yielding no answers, proved to be the most sentimental to Erik. He could still feel traces of Christine’s presence lingering in that room. From the light lavender curtains to the music sheets left piled atop a music stand. That small detail he was fond of discovering. He was extremely overjoyed knowing that after everything Christine had not given up her music. He knows that she mentioned teaching music briefly in her letter but having evidence of that fact soothed his mind. He searched that bedroom intimately but found no answers. What he had discovered however were the remnants of Christine’s sick days. The empty medicine bottles serving as a clear reminder of her mortality. He found that she had suffered from tuberculosis, an extremely deadly disease where many did not survive. She was lucky indeed but furthermore it is thanks to the vicomte that she was able to make it. The medicine in the room was not cheap after all. In the end all that Erik left with after searching Christine’s room was a cruel reminder that no matter how much he loves her the smallest misstep could take her away from him forever.

Erik did not return underground until nearly dawn. Unfortunately, his pointless little tour of the vicomte’s estate took far longer than expected. No matter, Erik once again had a reason to live and he would stop at nothing to have Christine safely returned to him in place where she belongs.

By the time he had reached his lair, he had already concocted several methods which he could use to make the vicomte talk. He will enact his plans immediately, pressuring the vicomte to crack. No matter how long it takes, Erik is certain he will find Christine once more.

Erik knows that though he might hate it, there is no other way to proceed other than to follow the vicomte around hoping he will leak information. In addition to that, he knows the vicomte would do anything to keep him away. Raoul despises him so, which is why Erik must pay visits to him regularly and remind him of his presence. Erik does not intend to be cast aside after all. The vicomte brought this upon himself for not telling him Christine’s location the first time around. He could have avoided his meddling had he known to listen when he had the chance. Never the less, he will push his own resentment towards the vicomte aside. He does not want to kill him out of frustration before he has received the information he needs after all.

Erik had left before the vicomte had awoken. He suddenly remembers the note he had read on Raoul’s night stand, how Christine tells Raoul not to visit her anymore. Though Erik does not blame Christine for her decision knowing how insufferable the vicomte is, he is irritated by the fact that Raoul will not visit Christine in person knowing he is after her.

Regardless, Erik knows he should prepare for his return to the estate. It is then that he decides to take advantage of the free time he has. He feels he should not pester the vicomte too early in the morning; this is him being generous. Though very full of energy, Erik decides it best to take a quick nap before heading back. He makes note to also gather a few things that might come in handy.

*

When Raoul arrived at the art gallery he had not known what to expect. At first he was expecting a grand and luxurious building like the Opera Populaire but instead he found a half-burned mess with several of the statues stained black and the internal architecture completely ruined. He knew that they had mentioned renovation before the official opening of the art gallery, but he had not expected it to be to this extent. He was saddened by the fact that so much of the building had been ruined since upon closer inspection he found that the building had indeed been immaculate at some point in its existence.

Raoul instructs his coachman to leave him and be back for him in an hour. The man gladly obliges and soon Raoul is left standing in front of what could easily be the setting of a horror novel. Raoul recalls that the project had indeed managed to gather small amounts of funding and that renovations had commenced on a small scale. If they were able to secure the Chagny patronage however, the building process would be sped up ten-fold. Raoul also recalls that there should be a representative from the academy present as these renovations take place. Raoul decides to look around a bit before heading to where most of the noise was coming from. He notices that the intricate details in some of the sculptures had been spared from the disaster and could be salvaged if properly cared for and painted. He also notices that the walls, though some charred and caved in could eventually be restored to perfect condition if given the right attention. The roof had only one giant hole exactly where the center of the gallery would be. The hole was not from the roof caving in but some sort of glass dome that use to cover its circumference that is now long gone.

Raoul was becoming more and more motivated to offer support as the minutes ticked by. Though the building itself was an eyesore upon initial inspection, he truly began seeing how this place could once again become a masterpiece if only they had the resources available. Raoul finally decides to head towards the noise where he finds a group of about ten men piling stones upon each other to rebuild what appears to have been the grand staircase. Most of the staircase was still in tact but otherwise has portions of it riddled with holes and cracked marble. At the top of the stair case Raoul notices an older gentleman who appears to be in his late 40's inspecting the various men at work. He had graying hair that framed his round face and had a pair of glasses with circle lenses adorning his eyes. He also had an exaggerated mustache that was much too long for his small face that curled at the edges and an overall round physique that made him seem shorter than he was.

Raoul decided that this must be the academy representative sent to inspect the renovations and began climbing the grand staircase through the areas that were intact. The older man notices the sudden intrusion and grants Raoul his full attention as he climbs the staircase.

“Hello monsieur, what brings you to this building project so early in the morning? I hope you are not lost since this building is not suited for the public at the moment,” says the man with what Raoul catches as an Italian accent.

“Good morning monsieur, I am the vicomte Raoul de Chagny and I had been informed that this art gallery was requesting my patronage,” says Raoul in a light tone since this seems like a project he could easily become invested in.

“Oh, the vicomte! I was not expecting a personal visit since our initial invitation had been ignored. I am more than happy to make your acquaintance,” said the cheery many joy evident in his eyes. “If you have any questions about the project please feel free to ask.”

“Yes, I was wondering what happened to this building? There appears to have been a fire but other than that I cannot tell,” says Raoul while panning his head, getting a full view of the building from the top of the staircase. “Oh, I believe I did not catch your name sir. Are you perhaps the representative sent by the academy to oversee the renovations?” asked Raoul.

“Pardon me monsieur how rude of me! I am Giacomo Ricci and yes I am the academy representative as well as the adviser of the person who is overseeing the entire project. To answer your first question, yes this building suffered a great fire about seven years ago and has been abandoned since. Unfortunately, most of the damage to the walls and staircase was not caused by the fire but merely age and decadence,” said the energetic man with a slightly saddened tinge to his voice.

“I see, this building must have looked marvelous in its prime. I know this is meant to be art gallery, by any chance do you know what kinds of pieces that would be hosted here before I decide to offer my patronage?” says Raoul and the older man immediately perks up at the mention of a future patron.

“Why yes of course monsieur! We actually have a few of the pieces waiting at the academy until the grand opening of the gallery. Of course, if you are interested in viewing them I will be more than happy to show you what we have prepared if you ever decide to stop by. What I can tell you is that the majority of the pieces hosted in this gallery are pieces which depict important moments in history re-imagined by various artists.” If Raoul wasn’t intrigued before he certainly was now. He recalls his own days in school and how he would spend hours pouring over history books anxious to learn the material far before his instructors would even hold lecture. He continued learning history far after he had completed his studies and joined the navy. It was a hobby he did less often when he reconnected with Christine.

“That sounds wonderful monsieur. I think I shall lend my support to the completion of this project, so hopefully we shall be seeing more of each other in the future,” declared Raoul as the other man became clearly overjoyed by his proclamation.

“Thank you so much monsieur, my colleagues will be ecstatic when they hear the news! With your support the project will be completed sooner than expected since most of our funding is being delayed until the arrival of the project leader,” said the man with a glowing aura of happiness emanating from him. Raoul was now curious as what set up they had before he offered patronage.

“Pardon me monsieur but did you say the project leader is not here, then where is he?”

The man now noticing his mistake decided to clear up some misunderstandings to their new patron. “Yes, forgive me for not explaining clearly. I work for the academy as well as for the project leader, you see he is not from France but from the province of Milan where he is currently in the process of negotiating settlements for some of the pieces for the gallery. Most of our funding remains with him but once he is ready to settle in Paris is when we will have the sufficient amount to complete this project. But now that you are here it appears we will not need the full financial support of the project leader and we can invest in more pieces for the gallery!” The man concluded his explanation but left Raoul with further questions.

“So, before me was he just planning on reconstructing and establishing this art gallery all by himself?” asked Raoul now more curious as to the business side of things rather than the art itself. “Not exactly, you see we are supported by the academy and we do receive their generous funding, but my employer is very ambitious when it comes to how he wants this gallery to be operated. Much so that he is willing to pay out of pocket to make his vision a reality.” Raoul was satisfied with the answer and felt it appropriate to switch topics. He after all was excited with the project himself and couldn’t wait to go home and tell his brother the news.

“Thank you so much for your time Monsieur Ricci, hopefully we will meet again in the near future to discuss further plans for the gallery. It is getting close to afternoon and I must be going now.”

“It is no problem at all. I feel as though I have taken too much of your time already so hopefully I did not bore you,” said the man in a jesting tone. “Of course not, on the contrary I am now excited for this project and can’t wait for the building to be finished,” responded Raoul as the older man was leading him down the stairs and out through the main gate.

“Please, if you ever need anything feel free to ask for me at the academy, if I am not available then one of my colleagues would happily fill you in during my absence.” Raoul notices that his driver was ready and waiting for him at the front gate. He gives the kind man one last farewell before getting on his carriage and instructing his driver to take him home.

*

When Raoul arrives at his estate the first thing he does is make his way to the library. Raoul was content with how his morning had turned out. He had enjoyed his visit to the future art gallery immensely and was looking forward to visiting and observing its progression first hand. He could not keep his excitement at bay which is why he found himself in this room. When he had finished his education Raoul had nowhere to put his books other than in his family library, which he now was visiting for nostalgia’s sake.

He looked around the vast room which he hadn’t visited in ages and gave his attention to the second floor. The floor he knew held his personal collection. When entering the library, the first thing that drew the eyes was the large sitting area that was separate from the shelves where one could sit down to enjoy reading. There were large chairs and sofas gathered around this area with various small tables scattered around with a coffee table at the center. There was a grand piano in one of the corners where Raoul recalls taking music lessons as a child, though he was never any good. Behind this area is where the collections where, which consisted of two floors full of heavy mahogany bookshelves.

Raoul made his way up the spiraling staircase. When he reached the top, he headed towards the very back to the farthermost wall to reach his personal collection. When he made it there, Raoul immediately began skimming book titles he had gathered over the years. Present were large amounts of books on ancient and modern history, biographies, poetry, science, philosophy, and novels of varying genres. Fiction and nonfiction alike made up what Raoul considers his open sanctuary. He even kept the books on fables he had been greatly invested in as a child.

To Raoul creating pictures and stories in his imagination had always been second nature. It is only through this nostalgia trip that Raoul begins to remember his hobbies and all the things that used to make him happy before his life was turned upside down by the events of the Opera Populaire.

This small moment of recalling the opera house was enough to dampen Raoul’s once excitable mood once more. He remembered his time with Christine and how she had offered him a different form of happiness than the one he was accustomed to. That happiness was different from the type of happiness these books provided. When he was with Christine he felt as though he didn’t have to be alone. That he did not have to enjoy things by himself and that he could have someone to share his excitement with and have the feeling be mutual.

He remembers how happy he was when showing Christine details about his life piece by piece. He never properly expressed to her his love of reading however. When she was living with him those first two months before the wedding he was too busy imagining their future together that he completely forgot to show her this library. Then of course the library was the farthest thing from his mind once she fell ill and then left him once she got better.

It has been ten months since Christine had first set foot into this house and it has been ten months since Raoul has walked into this library. Raoul knows where this train of thought will lead him, to another day of helplessly moping over Christine. To his surprise however this new mission of finding normalcy was not a complete failure as Raoul had expected. When he said return to normal he imagined it in a way where he appeared normal on the outside but was dying on the inside. He’s surprised that it wasn’t until this moment that he began thinking of Christine. His thoughts were actually pleasant all morning. The visit to the gallery did more for his mood than his brother had been able to do in the past four months. He knew for certain that he was going to give this project his all.

It is at this moment Raoul recalls another one of his great passions aside from reading. Next to his private section of the library lies a small door that is cleverly hidden behind one of the bookshelves which opens when you pull a discreet lever on the side. Raoul remembers how mesmerized he was when his father first showed this to him as a child that from then on Raoul has made that hidden room his private sanctuary.

Raoul pulls the lever and waits for the door to open, when it does he glances around the room he has not entered in ages. When he sets foot into the room however, he hears a voice call out from behind.

“It appears I am not the only one with hidden chambers vicomte.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, feedback is always appreciated. I am excited for the next chapter since we finally see these two interact in a unique setting.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So midterms took a lot out of me the last few days but hopefully I can return to normal. I'll admit that writing this chapter was a bit challenging but I hope you all enjoy it.

Raoul was startled by the sudden break in silence and quickly turned his head almost injuring his neck. What he saw in front of him was an unwanted sight but not an unexpected one. The phantom was elegantly leaning against the bookshelf that contained his prized collection swiftly skimming through a book in his hands.

“Hmm, _The Prince_. I had no idea that someone as dense as you would even know who Machiavelli was,” said Erik in a casual, conversational tone.

Raoul was stunned and ignored his initial comment, instead deciding to yell and ask the obvious question, “What are you doing here phantom?! You are not welcome into my home so stop whatever it is you are trying to achieve!”

“Yelling at a houseguest is anything but proper behavior for a gentleman of your standing, vicomte. It appears that whatever manners you had been taught need to be relearned,” jeered Erik. Raoul was not in the mood to be dealing with the phantom. The previous joy he felt earlier had evaporated the moment he heard that dreadful voice behind him. Raoul thought he would be able to ignore the man, but as it seems Erik will not allow himself to be easily cast aside. Still, Raoul tries pretending that the phantom does not exist and begins carrying on as he usually would. The only problem was the hidden door that was now open for him to see. This room is precious to Raoul and the phantom had so blatantly disrupted his sanctuary.

“I will not humor you, phantom. If you think that pestering me for information will make me responsive then you are sorely mistaken. You are dead in my eyes,” says Raoul in the coldest and most ruthless tone he could muster.

Erik, rather than being offended gave a small chuckle. He gazed at Raoul as if he were helpless prey that was only bidding its time before its painful end. If Erik was one thing it was persistent. He’ll see how long he will remain ‘dead’ to Raoul. “Then I guess there is no difference vicomte, you after all are the one who calls me ‘phantom.’ If that is the case you should be able to communicate with me like normal.”

Raoul was having none of it. He knew that the phantom was only trying to get a ruse out of him, and he will not allow him to succeed. Instead Raoul remained silent and walked through the opened bookshelf into the room beyond quickly trying to shut the door behind him. Unfortunately, Erik caught the door right before it shut and let himself into Raoul’s private sanctuary.

Erik had found the room the night before during his investigation but paid no mind to it. It was poorly hidden by his standards and didn’t seem to hold anything of much importance, or did it? Erik caught the way the vicomte had been openly anticipating his own entrance into the room as if it holds something irreplaceable. Erik, now curious decides to break the suffocating silence knowing any questions he makes will likely be ignored.

“Is this room really so important that you must keep it hidden vicomte? What could possibly be of such importance that you were willing to shut the door on your houseguest?” asked Erik. Raoul remained completely unresponsive which was beginning to irritate Erik. The boy just seemed to be staring off into space as if intentionally blocking out his existence to the best of his ability. Well, if the vicomte wanted to be difficult then so could he.

Erik looked around the room and like the previous night it had remained exactly as he had seen it. He admits that he never truly investigated it but that was because he had no reason to. It held no information on Christine. Erik is now curious however and begins to note his surroundings in the daylight, which was provided by the small window in the corner. He notices various tables in this room covered by large sheets that seem to be protecting whatever lies underneath. The only other things present in the room were two plush purple chairs with elegantly carved handles, a simple wooden chair, and a small table in between. The walls were jade in color giving the room an overall welcoming appearance.

Whatever is in here, it is clear the vicomte does not want him to see. Erik suddenly has a brilliant idea that would get the vicomte to stop ignoring him and would also sate his curiosity. He began walking towards one of the tables that had been covered by a white sheet and removed the large cloth. At his actions Raoul shifted his sight towards Erik immediately. Erik knew he had won a small victory.

Raoul looked up at the phantom the moment he heard the swooshing of fabric. Looking up he was horrified to find that the phantom had uncovered one of his prized creations none too gently. To hell with ignoring the phantom, Raoul thought. He has to get rid of him now before he further taints this room with his presence.

Raoul quickly makes his way over to the man and seizes his wrist. Anger was becoming evident on Raoul’s features and he held no reservations in expressing his emotions. “What are you doing phantom!? Do not touch anything in here!” yelled Raoul which had fallen on deaf ears.

Erik was not processing any of the words Raoul was speaking however. He was completely mesmerized by the sight before him. On the table lay a detailed display of what appeared to be the siege of Troy. The display was made of various materials including wood, clay, wax, metals, stone and even glass to make the display appear as realistic as possible. The display included a small wooden horse waiting by the city entrance to be allowed passage. Erik was even able to make out specific characters in the scene such as Odysseus, Menelaus and Diomedes. The details of the miniature city were immaculate. The streets and homes were constructed in a traditional trojan style for that time period and the major landmarks from the myth were created with great attention to detail. Erik particularly appreciated the Temple of Athena and how it was positioned at the center of the display bringing the whole thing together. The figures filled up the table nicely with detail to proportion. The statues were the size of his hand and the building were scaled to fit the figures accordingly. It was perfection, and that is what troubled Erik the most.

Raoul was mortified. Of all the people he could have shared his secret passion with the phantom was definitely not one of them. This room had been a sanctuary for him. Now that the phantom had invaded this place, he no longer felt its welcoming aura.

“Who built this?” Erik broke the silence and Raoul’s thoughts with his question. Raoul barely processing what he had been asked answered in an anxious voice, “I did obviously! You are not meant to be here, no one is!” Raoul could not take it anymore. He felt as though a part of him had been violated by having the phantom gaze at his secret projects. “I would never trust you with what is in here so please leave!” Raoul was shouting at this point. He knew he was overreacting, but this has been his life’s work from a very young age. This was a cornerstone of Raoul’s character.

Erik paid no mind to Raoul, he just kept staring at the intricate details of the piece. Though Erik had created models made of wax in the past, he never much cared for it to this extent. Erik observed how every ounce of this piece had been granted tender love and care. The pathways were made of pebbles that were sanded down to look like cobblestones and the houses and statues were a mixture of clay and stone giving them a realistic appearance. Even the leaves on the trees were made of wood shavings painted green giving them a natural appearance. The whole scene looked as if it could be real if only brought to life on a larger scale. Erik could not describe his emotions in words. He would however go as far as comparing it to how he is with music. Everything is exact, perfect and fits together almost as if it were an opera.

Raoul was becoming agitated with the phantom’s silence so instead he decided to pick up the sheet from the floor and put it over the display once more. The sudden action broke Erik out of his trance no longer having the masterpiece to gawk at. He moved his eyes towards Raoul and only now realized the expression he had. Raoul does seem angry yes, but bellow that lies a hidden emotion. Fear, it was visible in the vicomte’s eyes. He was afraid, but of what? Was it judgement? Criticism? Appearing vulnerable in front of him? Erik could not tell.

“You have seen enough phantom. Please leave,” said Raoul in a breathy and nervous voice. Raoul was terrified. This room had been hidden for a reason. This was his greatest passion which he had not been willing to show the world ever. He knew that many people still viewed him as childish and as someone who is always stuck to their brother’s side. If they knew he spent time building sceneries from his imagination it would only be that much more appropriate to mock him. Raoul is an imaginative person at heart, and he loves making his visions a reality. It is not his passion itself that is a problem, but his way of expression. In school he had been trained in the proper fine arts such as painting, sculpting, and music. What Raoul does is not any of those things. The closest comparison Raoul can draw is to that of a giant dollhouse. Raoul does not know if there is even a clear definition for what he does, but too him these displays show his innermost self.

Erik just stares at the vicomte and his lost expression. The only thing that Erik can compare it too is that of a child who has been discovered doing something they were not supposed to be doing. Erik decides to ignore Raoul once more and looks around the room. There are about nine more tables that are being covered by large sheets and Erik makes his way to the next one. Raoul anticipates the phantom’s movements and quickly makes his way towards him and grabs his wrist once more.

“No, do not touch anything just leave!” Raoul was not joking at this point and if looks could kill, Erik would have been long gone. “Why vicomte, are you scared of showing me your work?” Erik retorted. Though Erik knows he should be threatening the vicomte, he also does give credit where credit is due. He could credit Christine’s talent after all and though he will never say it out loud, the vicomte does have some as well.

Raoul stops and thinks for a moment. He doesn’t know exactly why he should feel scared he just always has been. If anything, Raoul has only assumed people only appreciate creations in proper art forms, not whatever this is. “I just, no one should know okay. No one is meant to know.” Raoul responded in a defeated tone now with the realization that Erik isn’t leaving. With that Raoul finally accepts that there is no way to avoid the phantom’s questioning, lets go of his wrist, and begins pacing.

“How long did it take you to make this?” asked Erik now interested in the structuring of the projects. “To complete a full one, it takes about two years. The one you just saw I had completed the semester before I finished my formal education.” Raoul began feeling more at ease with this simple line of questioning. As long as the phantom avoids the topic of why he must keep his hobby a secret, it should be fine.

Erik looks again at the room. He is curious about what lies beneath the other tables but suddenly remembers that is not the reason for his visit. He gathers his mind and finally decides it is time to breach the avoided topic. “You know why I am here don’t you,” says Erik as he makes his way closer to the vicomte. “Though this has been quite the detour, I hope you understand that my visits will become common occurrence if you still refuse to tell me where Christine is.”

Erik’s words had broken Raoul’s train of thought. Well, at least they weren’t taking about the displays anymore. “Well, it looks like we will become well acquainted then because I have no intention of telling you where she is.”

Erik is now standing right in front of the vicomte and looks down at him menacingly. “You like to jest with me don’t you vicomte? You should know that my presence is not to be taken lightly. I can make your life hell as well as for the people living on this estate. If you want to avoid any unfortunate…. accidents all you have to do is tell me where she is.” Raoul did not take his last statement too well. Though intimidated, Raoul at least tried to appear as if he was on the phantom’s same level. “If you even so much as think of going after my brother or my staff I will kill you myself,” Raoul whispered in a menacing tone. It was all he could do for now since the shock of having this room discovered was still present.

Erik just scoffed at the vicomte’s proclamation and decided to mess with him a bit. “You’re going to kill me vicomte? You who were on the verge of tears a few seconds ago because I entered your precious hideaway. You think you have what it takes to kill me?” Erik leaned further down to the vicomtes ear and whispered, “I would love to see you try.”

Raoul was frozen due to the phantom’s close proximity. Only now was Raoul truly becoming scared because the phantom was in a position where he could easily lift his hands and snap his neck. Raoul has faced worse dangers than this however and was willing to face even more if it meant protecting Christine. He could play this game too after all.

“Yes, I think I have what it takes to kill the man who panics anytime he is without his precious mask.” Raoul then brings his hand up to caress the phantom’s masked cheek with mock gentleness. He holds his gaze with the phantom staring deeply into his eyes before deciding to yank the mask off with more force than necessary putting a good distance between them.

Erik screams anger visible in his eyes as he glances towards the vicomte once more. Raoul is proudly holding his mask in hand. Erik has his hand covering the right side of his face waiting for the vicomte to make his move. “Oh, c’mon, it’s not like I have never seen your face before, so why bother hiding it phantom?” responds Raoul further adding to the tension.

Erik was furious. He did not care for what that idiotic vicomte had to say. He knew that his temper had reached unimaginable levels. If Raoul wanted to see what he was capable of then he will gladly show him, but not before getting his mask back.

“You will pay dearly for this vicomte! You do not know the lengths I would go through to find Christine again! You better pray I am merciful enough to let you live once I have what I need from you!” Raoul knew that the phantom would follow through on his promise. Despite this, Raoul had to keep fighting. Fighting for Christine and for himself since he no longer wanted to remain chained to his past.

“Go ahead phantom you can kill me, injure me, or disfigure me without repair. I will never let you bother Christine again! You are not aware of the hell her own mind has become because of you! What is it you even hope to accomplish by finding her!?” If Raoul was wondering anything it was just that. Why does the phantom need her now when she is no one’s, only God’s and her own person? She is not with him anymore. The phantom was willing to let her go when he thought they would be married but wants her back when she is free of all men? Raoul cannot think of any other answer other than the phantom wanting Christine for himself once more.

“What do you mean why, isn’t it obvious! Because I love her, more than anything else in this world! She will die miserable and alone in that nunnery which is why I have to make her come to her senses!” Erik was fed up with his questioning. He just needed to retrieve his mask, enact his revenge on the vicomte, and force him to tell him Christine’s location.

Raoul’s mouth was agape. Out of all the reasons he could have given that is probably the worst one he could have imagined. After everything does he really not understand!? “That is the reason you are doing all this, why you are threatening me!? Do you think Christine will accept you with open arms knowing you have threatened me and my household for your sick delusions!? How can you be so dense!?” Neither had been holding in their tone of voice, which was okay. The room they were in was closed off in an area of the library that no one frequently visited. They would face no interruptions.

Erik has had enough of this. He does not need to consider the vicomte’s words, he does not have too. When Christine is free of that convent she will understand his motives and why he did what he had to. Erik fixed his composure once more and turned to Raoul in a more dignified manner. He held out his hand, implication obvious. “Christine will know how to feel once I see her. She cares for me and I her. You know as well as I do that she would be disappointed if she were to see you acting as you have.” Raoul considers his words and concedes that there is some truth to them. He knows Christine would have never behaved so petty towards anyone, even her most hated enemies. Raoul decides to extend his hand and give Erik his mask back.

Erik gladly takes it from Raoul and places it on his face once more. He looks over to Raoul and notices the defeated look on his face, blond stands covering his eyes. Though he is glad he has gotten his mask back, Erik does not make empty threats. He will make the vicomte talk and have his revenge for this humiliation. Erik sees there is no more to be gained from this conversation and makes his way towards the door, but not before glancing at the tables once more. He acknowledges that they are all probably masterpieces. It is then Erik decides he will enact his own petty revenge. Erik knows what lies under the table with the model of the Trojan War but the rest are all mysteries, which is why he doesn’t feel bad about his next move. Erik looks at a random table that is on his way to the exit. Before he can think rationally Erik decides to swing his arm down smashing the table and consequently anything that may have lied underneath.

Raoul looks stunned, but his expression is ignored by the phantom who continues walking and disappears back into the library. There is no point in searching for him Raoul knows, so he remains looking at the disaster the phantom had caused.

Though Raoul is stunned at first this quickly turns into small chuckles. How ironic, Raoul thinks as he makes his way to remove the sheet from the display table too view the damage done. How ironic that out of all the works he could have destroyed, Erik had destroyed the one of the Opera Populaire.

*

Philippe returned to the estate sometime in the afternoon. He feels horrible having stood up his brother for breakfast knowing it was an unspoken ritual between them two. Though less than before, Phillipe knows just how much his brother likes spending time with him. He will make it up to him that he is sure of. He doesn’t want to appear uncaring and distant in his brother’s eyes, which is why he had been giving him more attention than usual.

On top of that Philippe really was just curious as to what that noise he heard in his brother’s room was last night. If he had invited someone home or if it had just been someone of the staff then he should know. These are best case scenarios however because if it were someone Philippe already knew then why did they need to run from him? Maybe Raoul is hiding something he doesn’t want anyone to know.

Philippe decides it would be best to talk to his brother now over lunch. Food does make everything better after all. He enters through the giant front doors and quickly makes his way towards Raoul’s bedroom. He passes through the familiar hallway that leads to both his and Raoul’s bedrooms.

Philippe finally makes it to Raoul’s door and knocks politely. He waits a while before deciding to call out. “Raoul, are you in there?” He receives no response, but unlike last night Philippe decides to wait a while longer before opening the door. When he does he is met with an empty room. Raoul must be elsewhere in the house he concludes and decides to go ask one of his staff members if they had seen him.

An eerie feeling hit Philippe in just that moment. Something was off, very off. It is then that he decided to look through Raoul’s room for anything suspicious. He kept on looking but the room appeared to be normal, but that feeling never left his stomach. Whatever it was Philippe knew he had to find Raoul. As he was about to make his way towards the exit Philippe was suddenly grabbed from behind before having his mouth and nose covered with a handkerchief.

Philippe’s world started turning black and it was not soon after that he lost consciousness. He fell limp against the man who had drugged him, who was none other than Erik. The comte was heavier than Erik had been expecting but he adjusted with the weight and heaved the unconscious man over his shoulder. Erik had studied the estate in detail the previous night and mapped out the quickest route to the underground. He knew it was risky kidnapping the comte in broad daylight, but Erik was never one to be discouraged easily when odds were against him. He makes his way towards the comte’s office which happens to have a hidden passage that leads to the first floor. At the bottom of the staircase waits a small enclosed space that leads to the basement. From here there is a secret tunnel that connects directly to the underground and he can make his way from there.

Erik himself was surprised when he discovered this. One for the number of secret passageways and chambers the Chagny estate seems to hold and secondly for how convenient it would be for him to travel back and forth without having to go through the streets of Paris. Whoever constructed this house obviously had escape in mind if anything were to threaten the estate. Why they did so, Erik does not care but he does thank their efforts for making his job that much easier. Erik breaks out of his thoughts and decides to begin the long trek of dragging the comte to his underground lair.

*

Raoul had not seen Philippe all day and he was starting to worry. He is never away this long without telling him where he is going or when he’ll be back. Raoul had asked his staff if they had seen him, but they all gave him the same reply, that he had returned around noon and has not been seen since. That is strange because he is nowhere to be found on the estate. Could he have left without any of his staff noticing? Still, it is all strange in his mind because Philippe would always inform him personally or through proxy whenever he leaves for extended periods of time. Raoul cannot quiet his worries.

Raoul then decides it is no use searching for his brother when he knows he is nowhere on the estate. Wherever he is he is sure he will know come morning. Maybe he is overthinking things and his brother really was just away from home and forgot to tell anyone. He begins making his way back to his room with questions still buzzing in his head.

When Raoul finally makes it to his room he notices something on his bed. He goes to take a closer look and sees that it is an envelope with a skull wax seal on the back. Raoul not in the mood for games tears the envelope open only to be left paralyzed. On the letter was a simple message.

_You are probably lonelier tonight than you have been on others. Is something missing perhaps? How about a trade monsieur? Your dear brother for knowledge of my dear Christine. The choice is yours._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Erik, how am I ever going to redeem your character in this story? It might take a while but I promise these two will end up together, but not before jumping a few hurdles. I don't know why but I feel I am only giving Raoul more reasons to hate Erik as the story goes on. It might take a while but we're not on the fluffy part just yet (yes there will be fluff).


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I was gone far longer than I expected but I have not forgotten about this story. The end of the year is usually a busy time for me so updates might be a bit slower but none as slow as this one I'm hoping. As always criticism is always welcome and thanks for reading.  
~DNS

Raoul began to tremble the moment he finished reading the small note. Out of all the possible scenarios he had thought of when interacting with the phantom, him directly targeting his loved ones was somehow overlooked. If anything, Raoul assumed that the phantom would only pester him for so long before deciding to move on and look for information elsewhere. Raoul had made a grave miscalculation when dealing with the phantom and now his brother is paying the price for his error.

Raoul sat tensely on his bed reading the note over and over again as if time would somehow morph its message into something less horrible. Raoul was terrified. Terrified for his brother, for himself, and obviously for poor Christine. Christine, this was for her, all for her and Raoul feels as if he has failed her. His brother is in the clutches of that monster and he does not know what to do. He doesn’t know how far the phantom would be willing to go but he hopes that kidnapping his brother was only intended to scare him and no harm would befall Philippe. Raoul tries coming up with a plan, but everything he can think of seems useless. If he does not give the phantom what he wants he will more than likely harm his brother as a way of forcing him to confess. If he tells the phantom Christine’s location, she will have her new life uprooted and be forced to live underground. Raoul feels lost and all he can do at the moment is sit and wait for a solution to come to him.

Nothing comes of course but there still remains the obvious course of action. Go to the phantom and demand for his brother’s return. Raoul does not know how successful that would be, but he has to do something. With his resolve set he quickly makes his way downstairs passing the many curious eyes of his staff. Raoul knows he is rushing out with no explanation but he has all the time in the world to explain his strange behavior once his brother is safe. Raoul then bursts through the doors that lead to the gardens which is the quickest route to the stables. Once there it doesn’t take long for Raoul to locate his favorite horse and saddle it intent on making his way to the opera house as soon as possible. It is extremely cold, and Raoul is well aware that though he is dressed properly for the harsh cold weather outside, he is not warm enough to fend off the cold of the underground.

Raoul does not care about this small detail; however, he remembers something last minute that he is scolding himself for not retrieving earlier. Once his horse was ready to go he quickly makes his way back into the estate to grab that one crucial item. Once inside he heads down the long hallway connected to the gardens and goes upstairs strait to Philippe’s study. Once he reaches his destination he heads towards the fireplace and reaches for the small box perched right on top. Inside the box is a pistol and several rounds of ammunition.

Raoul, though never one to extensively care for firearms knew of his brother’s knack for them. He will borrow this one only for tonight and his brother may scold him later. He now feels fully prepared and begins making his way back downstairs as fast as his legs could carry him. He immediately finds his horse and mounts it. Raoul sets off on his journey to the ruins of the Opera Populaire, cold winter air cutting through his body. It has not yet snowed but the season is near. Regardless, the cold seeps strait into his bones. Raoul ignores all of this and only focuses on his goal, finding the phantom and getting his brother back.

*

Erik, for the better part of a day has mostly been sitting in his home waiting for the vicomte to arrive. Seriously, how long was it going to take for the boy to find his letter and come demand him his brother? Erik was growing tired of waiting and was considering going to the vicomte’s estate to tell him of his ultimatum in person. Still, he thinks he should be patient just a while longer. He does not know the vicomte’s schedule. For all he knows the vicomte might not even set foot into his bedroom until he is ready to sleep. He will wait a moment longer, in the meantime Erik decides to find a way to cure his boredom.

He had considered composing, but if he did he will likely wake his rowdy guest. The comte was made unconscious once more due to Erik’s sleep-inducing drug. But what else could Erik have done? Just like the fop, the comte does not know when to quit and tackled Erik even as he was tied up to a chair. Erik will admit that subduing him had been a struggle. The comte clearly had more strength than his age would allow one to believe, which is why he will be twice as cautious moving forward. No matter, the comte should not remain his captive for long if his idiotic brother complies with his request.

It should not be long before Raoul comes down here demanding for his brother. He had kept all the traps down for this occasion and is hoping the fop hurries before he harms his brother out of sheer boredom.

Erik turns his head to take yet another glance at his captive. He had given him that second dose a few hours ago meaning it should not be long before he wakes. In his mind Erik was debating whether to give the comte a third dosage so he would not wake while he negotiates with his brother, or to allow him to wake and make his ultimatum more engaging.

It seems that decision was ripped from Erik’s control since his captive began stirring and showing the first signs of consciousness. No matter, Erik made sure to tie the comte’s bonds in a manner that would leave him completely immobile. There will be no repeat of their first encounter.

The comte began slowly opening his eyes. The light, though minimal was blinding. He did not know where he was, only that he had been rendered unconscious and that he had woken tied to a chair. Philippe did not know why he acted the way he did but had managed to put up a fight even in his subdued state. His capturer had obviously not been expecting his outburst and put him back to sleep.

Philippe knew that he could not act out as he did again. If he is rendered unconscious once more he really will remain trapped with this criminal longer than necessary. He did not know the man’s intentions after all, only that he had been hiding in his brother’s bedroom waiting for an opening. The implication is obvious, this man holds a grudge against Raoul. Knowing this man has easy access to his estate makes Philippe ten times as weary.

Philippe was not lying when he said he would go through all extremes to protect his brother. He will not allow some lunatic to harm his family. He is in a compromising position however and will tread as carefully as possible. For now, all he will try to do is talk to the man and discern his motives.

Philippe finally coming out of his hazy mind begins observing his surroundings. He notices the comfortable atmosphere of the room. He had not noticed the warm fireplace and the bookshelf in the corner. Philippe did not dwell on his surrounding for long before realizing his binds were digging into his wrists. Whoever’s home this is Philippe hopes it’s not the home of an economic rival with how expensive this room appears to be.

It is then that Philippe notices a man sitting on a plush chair not far from the chair he was currently tied to. The man was wearing an elegant suit, appropriate for the evening time and had his black hair slicked back. What caught his eye the most however was his porcelain mask that only covers the right side of his face. It is a bit eerie seeing as the other half of his face is perfectly normal, handsome like that of any noble even.

Philippe had always considered himself a genius when it came to unraveling the plots of mystery novels, but it does not take a genius to decipher that this man is none other than the Phantom of the Opera. He had heard the rumors, as had all of France of the man who had his disfigured face revealed in front of an audience by the performing prima donna. Philippe’s worst fears where now only beginning to surface. For one, what did this man want with Raoul? That singer Christine Daae was no longer living on his estate, what other possible motives could he have for pestering his brother? No matter, it seems that it was up to him to get this man to leave his baby brother alone.

Erik managed to grab the comte’s full attention and was waiting for him to react. He is a lot calmer than the first time he had awoken, which he is grateful for. As long as he remains compliant and serves his purposes all should be well, and he would not have to be rendered unconscious again. The man was wearing no particular expression except for one of deep thought. His blond hair was tousled due to being carried here and from his struggle when he first regained consciousness. Erik prefers open confrontation, at least then he knows what his opponent is thinking as opposed to the current guessing game of facial expressions. In the end, Erik concludes that it does not matter. The comte could never truly harm him even if he tried, so its not like he should be weary of the man even though he had caught him off guard that first time.

The silence was beginning to irritate Erik so he thought it would be entertaining to break it if even momentarily. “I see you are awake now, I welcome you into my humble home and I do hope you enjoy your stay here.” Erik was speaking in his most charming and welcoming voice and his guest remained passive. His guest didn’t respond but it’s not like it’s his job to keep the man entertained.

“What business do you have with me, or rather with my brother?” Philippe had been well trained in hiding his expressions due to years of harsh business negotiations. If others assumed you weak, you will be trampled over. Though he was raging inside at the thought of his brother being harmed by this man, he held himself together giving away nothing.

“I would have assumed that your dear brother would have told you my reasons for seeking him out now since he seems to depend on you for everything. You seem like the more insightful of the two comte, so why don’t you guess my motives?” The phantom is toying with him at this point and Philippe knows this. He is at a severe disadvantage and he can only pry so far. Well, if the phantom wanted to play the game of provocation then he would be more than happy to oblige.

“My only guess is that you are seeking Christine Daae, but I feel someone as observant as you would realize that she no longer resides in my household. So why are you seeking out my brother? You know I heard the screaming yesterday? It comes off as amateurish to make one’s presence known when sneaking into a bedroom.” Philippe had no idea where he was going with this, but he was willing to try anything to get a reaction out of the man. Philippe is quite adept at mental games and if he can so much as chip a small piece of the phantom’s armor, then he would know exactly how to handle this situation moving forward.

Erik frowned, that was not the response he was expecting to hear. What was the comte trying to achieve by making unimportant proclamations? He should know clearly that his only objective was Christine. Regardless, the conversation was saving Erik from boredom. If only for that reason Erik believes it is okay to continue. “I had no idea you were one to pay attention to such details comte? Especially if they serve as advice to improving my hiding skills. But I have no intentions of hiding anything with your brother, especially with how stubborn he tends to be.”

Philippe thought now was as good a time as any to shoot his shot. “Hiding what with my brother? Are you a pervert trying to court him but cannot take no for an answer?” Philippe knew he was probably speaking nonsense but tried to make it sound as sincere as possible. “As his guardian it is my duty to protect his virtue from people like you who only seek to take advantage of him and view him as merely a pretty object. From your actions I can draw no other conclusion than you trying to force my brother into being your property!”

Erik’s eyes widened with how off guard the comte’s statements put him. He knows that the comte is most likely messing with him, but now Erik was beginning to doubt that. Maybe he was just as stupid and airheaded as his brother? But…. how could he reach such a repulsive conclusion!? Now that Erik thinks back, from an outsider’s perspective it might seem that way. If he is being played or not Erik still feels the need to debunk these outrageous statements.

“I have no romantic or personal interests in your brother comte, so never make that assumption again! If you know anything about me, you would know that there is only one person I could ever love and that is-!”

At that moment loud footsteps could be heard approaching from the other side of the lake. Erik quickly exits the room the comte was being held in and spots the clear outline of a young man reflected on the walls. Erik forgot what he was rambling about and gave his full attention to his new guest.

Raoul’s silhouette could be clearly seen on the other side of the lake and at this Philippe began to internally panic when he caught a glimpse through the door. What the hell did Raoul think he was doing, was he trying to get himself killed!? He knew that he himself was in an extremely compromising position, but he would never want Raoul to endanger himself as well.

As time passed a battle of the wills took place to see who would make the first move. Raoul was making his way around the lake while both the phantom and Philippe remained perfectly still until they were all within speaking distance of each other. When Raoul finally made it across, he noticed his brother’s tied figure in the room behind Erik. At this Raoul ran strait forward, but not before Erik slammed the door and locked the room. They were now standing face to face, anger present on Raoul’s expression and playfulness on Erik’s.

“Give me back my brother phantom, or I promise that I will kill you right now!” Raoul was the first to cut through the tense atmosphere, but his outburst had not phased Erik in the slightest.

“I will be more than happy to return your brother to you vicomte once you give me the information I desire. To make this simple for everyone involved why don’t you do as you are told.” Erik knew that the quicker he could finish his business, the sooner he would find Christine.

Philippe through the door made his presence known, “Raoul, what are you doing here?! Go home I can take care of myself! I won’t have you putting yourself in danger!” Raoul began making his way towards the closed door once again with heavy strides. Erik, predicting Raoul’s movements quickly moved to grab Raoul’s arm and pinned him against the nearest wall. Raoul, enraged began to lash out at the man holding him down but was quickly subdued by Erik before he could make any more movements.

With the vicomte now immobile, Erik decided to continue his talk. Raoul had not stopped struggling in the slightest however, and if anything began pushing his back into Erik far too aggressively. Of course, Erik being only human started becoming slightly aroused by the vicomte’s movements. Erik would never let it show on his face but being deprived from human contact for so long would make anyone have similar reactions despite the circumstances. At least in Erik’s justified mind this was the logical conclusion.

Raoul on the other hand was having no such thoughts and was trying to reach for the gun in his front coat pocket. Erik had only pinned one of his arms. His other arm was currently being smushed between his own body and the wall. Erik too distracted by his own thoughts had not noticed this and only pushed the vicomte further against the wall to stop the squirming. This was a mistake on Erik’s part since he could now smell the vicomte’s scent far too clearly, the scent of fresh winter air mixed with cologne. If this continued any longer Erik was sure he would lose his mind.

Raoul decided it was better not to draw attention to his coat pocket stopped squirming and instead began talking to Erik. Throughout this whole process Raoul could hear his brother’s muffled screaming through the door.

“Please leave my brother alone. You can do whatever you want with me but please let him go,” Raoul said in a pleading and submissive voice. Erik would not admit it but he’s unironically enjoying this whole predicament. The vicomte subdued and underneath him was creating new desires he had not known existed until this very moment. Has having no human contact for nearly a year really made him that desperate? Erik will think no further of the issue however since he knows that once he receives the information he is looking for he will no longer need to interact with the vicomte. With this in mind, Erik plans his next course of action carefully.

“I do not care for your bargains vicomte. I do not want you or your brother. I only want you to tell me where Christine is. If keeping your brother here will lead to that outcome quicker, why should I let him go and let you stay knowing you’ll be stubborn?” Erik was quick and strait to the point. Raoul knew that there was no way to escape this predicament and decided the best plan now would be to at least get him and his brother in the same room.

“Can you at least let me see him?”

“Give me a good reason why I should. You know I have him hostage so how would that change anything?”

“I want to see if he is well. If there is so much as a scratch on him I swear you will never find Christine.”

Erik thought this over and decided that having a glance at his brother would bring no harm. Hell giving him the visual might be just the motivation he needs to make him talk. Decision made, Erik still holding the vicomte down removed the pressure from his body and made his way towards the door. Raoul was now free but had not reached for his gun. He will not make rash decisions until he knows for sure that his brother is okay.

Erik opened the door none too gently and now the comte’s yells could be heard full force. What Philippe was yelling was a blur, but having Raoul see his brother had the desired effect. He now knows the position he is in and just who is holding his brother captive. Raoul’s eyes widen at the sight of his brother tied to a chair. Philippe seemed distressed but otherwise looked unharmed. Raoul was about to make his way into the room but was stopped by Erik once more.

“That is enough of a viewing, you see your brother is well and will remain that way only if you tell me where Christine is.” Raoul did not take the threat lightly and lost his temper. Reason be damned, he grabbed the gun in his coat pocket and pointed it directly to Erik’s head. Raoul was trembling with anger and his expression was that of a man ready to commit murder.

“Let my brother go,” Raoul spoke sharply.

Erik scoffed and smirked at the vicomte not fazed in the slightest by the gun being pointed at him. The tension was high, and no one made a sound. Even Philippe seized his protesting.

“What do you hope to do with that, kill me?” Erik said with a slight giggle. Erik knew the kind of game they were playing now, and he was more than willing to play along. Erik from seemingly out of nowhere now had his lasso visible in his hand.

Raoul remembering his last encounter with the object decided to lift his other hand to the level of his eyes but was a few seconds off. Erik’s noose now held Raoul’s throat and he began struggling for air.

“You thought you could catch me off guard with something so predictable? Please do not insult me as if I could not have guessed you had a gun the entire time!” Erik was furious and to hell with answers. He will just have to find them some other way though he knows it would be lengthier and more labor inducing.

Philippe seeing Raoul being chocked to death began to panic. This madman was really going to kill his brother right in front of him. Seeing no other option Philippe decided to speak up.

“Lyon! She’s in Lyon but I’m not sure in which convent! That is all I know but let my brother go!” Philippe shouted at the top of his lungs with conviction. If he were to ever get the opportunity, Philippe would do all in his power to kill this man himself. But for now, this is all he can do.

Erik turns to Philippe with a satisfied look in his eye. The information was not as precise as he was hoping but knowing where to look is enough to begin his search. Erik fully accepted the comte’s claim because only a fool would lie when faced with certain death as both he and his brother are. Erik loosened his grip on the noose and decided that now would be a good a time as any to begin his search. He also did not want to clean up the aftermath involving the two brothers and decided to make his exit through one of the many tunnels hidden in the walls.

“Thank you for your cooperation gentlemen, but I must now be on my way. I know it is horrible etiquette, but I believe you two are capable of seeing yourselves out. I bid you both farewells, but I sincerely hope our paths never cross again.” That was the last thing the brothers heard before Erik fully disappeared into the hidden tunnel. Raoul, not wanting to make chase instead went to untie his brother from the chair. His neck was still burning from the rope but decided to ignore the pain. Once his brother was free he quickly stood up and hugged him.

“Don’t scare me like that Philippe.”

“Don’t scare you?! You were the one with the noose around your neck!” Philippe retorted. After that the two made there way out of the tunnels in complete silence. When they reached the surface, they made their way towards the main street where they were able to catch a carriage for Philippe while Raoul took his horse. Once arriving at the estate, they both quickly made there way inside and headed straight to Philippe’s study.

Once inside the silence continued and was only broken when Raoul handed the gun he was carrying back to Philippe.

“Thank you Philippe,” Raoul said in a whispery voice.

“For the gun? Well you grabbed it without my permission, but I hold no grudge.”

“Not that, you know what I meant.” Though it had remained unspoken, Philippe clearly knew what Raoul was referring too.

“It’s no problem at all. I knew how upset you would have been if I had told the phantom her real location.” Philippe had only thought to enact his little plan when he saw his brother in danger. He intended to buy them time by sending the phantom on a goose chase which had worked far better than he had expected. Maybe the phantom believed that Raoul being in a dangerous position would hinder no response other than the truth. Philippe’s panic was genuine and extremely convincing after all. He told the phantom that Christine was in Lyon when she was actually in Tours. He knows the phantom will be furious when he finds out that he lied to him and will once again threaten his and his brother’s lives, but this time he will not be caught off guard.

Though nothing was said after that, the tension still remained high. The silence seems to speak for the both of them and they simultaneously decide to call it a night. Raoul tells himself that come morning he has a letter to write.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I was struggling a bit with this chapter because it determines the direction the rest of the story will take. I was hoping to make Erik's attractions much more subtle and was thinking of rewriting certain parts but at this point I felt that I just needed to get this out there since it has been so long since I last updated. On that note I would love to know what you guys think of the story so far, do you like the direction it is heading in or do you think it is too quickly paced? It would also help to know what kind of story you guys can see this becoming, I was initially going to make this story rather tame but am now considering in raising the rating even if just slightly. Let me know if you guys are cool with that or not and thanks again for reading :D  
~DNS


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow this took longer to post than I had expected. Truth be told I had the chapter finished a while ago but have been too lazy to edit it so sorry about that. Well that and also that this chapter isn't as climactic as the last chapter so it was harder to trudge through. But we do get a new character in this one so I hope you all enjoy.  
~DNS

Raoul felt numb when he woke the next morning. He was expecting to wake up full of energy, ready to go and defend Christine from that monster that was looking for her. Instead he just felt…numb. This of course does not mean Raoul will just sit back and do nothing. He will force himself up if he has to. He knows that if he doesn’t he will regret not doing so later. He has to do something for Christine, even if that something is just anything at this point.

Christine. So many emotions come to surface whenever he thinks of that name. Love, happiness, fulfillment…..desire, emptiness, anger. This is how it always is, so why now is he not feeling anything, only exhaustion. Maybe he is exhausted. He has given so much of himself to Christine for her to only turn away from him. Raoul knows he’s being selfish, but he can’t help himself from thinking such thoughts when they seem appropriate. Instinctively, he knows that he should feel happy and accepting of the fact that Christine is now making her own decisions, and deep down he is. It is only during times when he feels alone and helpless that he feels entitled to a little anger.

Philippe would most likely encourage this sentiment if Raoul where to ever voice it aloud. His brother believes expressing anger is necessary for letting things go, so it’s no mystery what kind of behaviors his brother would encourage. Though Raoul understands where his brother is coming from, he never wants to associate bad emotions with Christine. He knows he’s thinking hypocritically because deep down he knows that those emotions still exist. Regardless, he can keep them from coming to the surface if he tries hard enough even if they slip through the cracks every now and again.

If anything, Raoul is trying too hard to be good. This good version of himself is the one that people seem to appreciate the most after all. He knows how the beehive mentality of the aristocracy functions. If he were to ever show these true negative feelings out in public he knows they would only have more reason to view him as the Chagny head’s brat brother. Overall he has managed to avoid this title but never completely. People like to talk, and if other people and gossip are means to keep a conversation going then they would not hold back in the slightest. The world of nobles is a brutal one, but one he was forced into at birth. He has come not to mind it as much as he once did however. He knows that even though there are many who only think of titles and statuses, that there are also those who are genuine and worth holding onto. Raoul has been fortunate enough to meet people such as these and he will treasure those friendships forever.

Raoul suddenly breaks out of his trance and remembers there is something important he should be doing. He needs to write a letter to Christine warning her of the troubles that lay ahead. Raoul forces himself out of his head and reaches for his nightstand where he has extra paper. Raoul deems it more appropriate to write the letter in his room rather than in his private study considering the subject matter. He opens the top drawer only to find it in disarray. His wooden soldiers and horses were no longer lined up neatly like he had left them, and the letters he had specifically placed at the very bottom where now lying on top of the mess.

Had the phantom broken into his home and searched his room!? Raoul doubts it was Philippe or anyone on the estate since they tended to be very respectful when it came to his privacy. To see another one of his sacred haven’s a mess makes Raoul feel extremely disrespected. Raoul once again sets his eyes on the two letters he holds dearly to his heart. One from Christine and the other from one of his dearest friends. His friend’s letter was tossed aside with little care and was now bent in some areas. Christine’s little note however remained immaculate. Raoul frustration subsided momentarily, and he then realized he shouldn’t be surprised. The phantom had managed to break into his home and kidnap his brother after all, so this little intrusion was petty compared to the things the phantom could have decided to do while in his home.

With his mind set Raoul put this little intrusion behind him and decided to complete the task at hand. Raoul grabbed the spare piece of paper from the nightstand and began walking towards the armchair and small table in his room. He sits down and opens the small bottle of ink he has lying on the table and begins writing.

Raoul hesitates when it comes to actually putting words onto paper however. What should he write to Christine? Should he tell her the complete truth about how the phantom had invaded his home and kidnapped his brother, or should he skip the details and only tell her the necessary information that would not panic her? Raoul of course only thinks of Christine and her wellbeing. She has started a new life and should not have to worry about the problems of the outside world and only focus on her own mental and physical health. Mind made up, Raoul begins writing a letter to Christine that only tells her the necessary details in the gentlest way possible as to not scare or worry her. The letter itself when completed was devoid of any emotion and only bared the facts with the occasional kind word here and there.

Raoul, examining his work thinks the letter he has written is adequate and gets his point across in a gentle manner. But why does it feel wrong? He knows he has her best interest in mind and that the only way to make sure she remains as calm as the situation would allow her is to send this letter he has written. However, it feels almost sinful to send this letter. Because though he is certainly not, Raoul feels as though he would be lying to her. The letter only mentions the things she must know like how the phantom is looking for her and how she should stay alert while he tries to protect her from him, but there is so much more to this situation than that and Raoul knows it.

He doesn’t know why but Raoul feels suddenly compelled to tell Christine everything. How the phantom had invaded his room, searched his home, kidnapped his brother and made his life a living hell for the past few days since he delivered that first letter to him per her request. Raoul feels obligated to tell her everything, but he doesn’t want to make her think it’s her fault. A petty side of Raoul wants to make her feel some sort of guilt, but he will make sure that this particular side of himself never sees the light of day. All concerns for Christine’s psyche aside, a part of Raoul’s conscious truly believes Christine has a right to know the whole truth and that he shouldn’t hide even the smallest detail.

The debate in Raoul’s head reaches a conclusion which is ultimately that she has a right to know. Though it kills him inside knowing that his words might cause her anguish, he has to do it if he ever wishes for her true wellbeing. Raoul reaches for a spare sheet of paper he sees lying on his small table and begins writing.

He holds nothing back this time. He tells her how much it killed him inside having to face that monster again. How much anxiety the phantom had caused him when he began to harass him and demand to know her location. How he had invaded his most private spaces that he uses for his own mental wellbeing. How he had kidnapped his brother in an effort to make him talk, and finally how he once again had a noose around his neck.

Raoul felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders when he finished writing that last sentence. He did not know why he felt so liberated, but he assumes it’s the freedom of not having to hide things from others. Raoul feels light, which is why he knows that writing this second letter was definitely the right decision.

Raoul was certain that delivering this version of the letter was the way to go. He then forces himself to get dressed as quickly as possible and leave before he changes his mind. He makes a quick stop to his private study to look for a blank envelope before leaving. Raoul neatly folds the letter and places it inside before sealing it with blue wax.

Before he loses his incentive, Raoul quickly calls for his driver and instructs him to go to the home of Mademoiselle Giry.

*

Erik knew leaving on the spot was not a good idea. He had been ready to leave and look for Christine from the first moment the vicomte had stepped into his home to deliver her letter. As of now Erik was a stowaway on a train headed directly to Lyon. The train ride was long but should take no longer than a full day. He took the first train out which luckily departed not long after leaving the two brothers in his home. It was morning now so it was only a matter of time before he reached his destination. Much of his trip had been delayed already due to the train making various stops to pick up both supplies for delivery and passengers.

The traveling time was a blessing in disguise however. He now had time to properly formulate a course of action for when he arrives. He had thought about it endlessly, but his initial response was that there are only so many convents in one city that it should not take much to investigate each one thoroughly. Though taxing, Erik should be able to eventually find Christine this way.

He had at some point considered harassing the Chagny brothers some more until he received her exact location but went against this idea. The Chagny brothers were a unique brand of stubborn that would not relent even if you were to cut their arms and legs off. They really were brothers, each as stubborn as the other.

Despite their stubbornness, Erik was willing to hold onto them as a future source of information. Though he hates to admit it, the vicomte probably knows more about Christine’s past illness that Christine herself from the looks of it. He was the one that called for the doctors, ordered the medicine, payed for all the treatments and was most likely the one who spoke to the doctor the most about Christine’s condition. He loves Christine more than anything and he needs to know everything to assure her wellbeing and to protect her from all harm.

But for now, all Erik can do is wait for the train to arrive so he can begin his search.

*

Raoul arrived at Meg’s home feeling more anxious than he anticipated. Could he really handle giving Christine such a conflict inducing letter? Deep down he knows that these are things Christine should know about in the long run, but his gentler side still wants to protect her from anything that would cause her stress.

Raoul then proceeded to walk into the small side alley where he knew Meg’s apartment was located, walked up the steep stairs and knocked on the door. Raoul waited for no more that five seconds before the door opened and was met with Meg’s surprised face. Her strait blond hair looked slightly disheveled as if she had just gotten out of bed but wanted to make herself presentable. Her eyes looked glazed over and tired and her dress matched the sentiment since its plain brown color appeared black in some areas and was heavily wrinkled.

Meg had not been expecting him even though he had visited her before. The frequency of the vicomte’s visits is something that Meg had obviously not planned ahead for. Raoul could care less about her state of dress, but he did need her to do him a great favor.

“Vicomte, I was not expecting to see you so soon after your last visit. What brings you here? Please come in,” Meg offers as she forces herself to smile appearing half sincere and half irritated.

“Thank you miss Giry,” Raoul responds as he steps into the small and cramped home. As for furnishings there really was not much to look at, there was only a small couch and a rocking chair on one end, and a stove and table placed on the opposite side. There was only one door in the small apartment which he assumed let to an incredibly tiny bedroom or possibly a bathroom.

Raoul took a seat and decided it would be more fitting to lead miss Giry into light conversation before getting down to business. Once he settled in and made himself comfortable, he put on a polite smile and began speaking. “So, Miss Giry how have you been? It has been a while since we have made each other’s acquaintances and have been curious to know what you have been up to.”

Meg looks at Raoul questioningly. Their acquaintanceship was something strictly business related, that business being Christine. When the vicomte had found it necessary to speak to her before, it was always about the same topic but never about herself. This was odd, but Meg was willing to go along with it.

“Oh, I have been…alright for the most part. My work keeps me very busy, so you came at a good time since in the afternoons I leave for work and do not return until late into the night,” she answered awkwardly yet sincerely. Life has not been easy for Meg since the opera house had burned down and its effects were more than visible.

“Might I ask what kind of work you do. Though I know we have only spoken briefly in the past what has become of your life since-”, Raoul cuts himself off mid-sentence. Prying into a young lady’s affairs was certainly no way to hold a civilized conversation, especially after the traumatic events. Yet he was now in too deep. If Raoul is lucky, he could play this whole formality off as a blunder and move strait to business.

Meg however does not pick up on Raoul’s sudden desperation to switch topics but instead decides she wants to vent a little. Life had definitely been hard for her and she wants to let everything out, and the vicomte was offering an ear. “My life has been more than a little difficult to say the least. Since the opera house burned down I have been forced to find other work and housing which has led me to where I am now. I work at a textile mill that though may not offer much, earns me enough to afford this place even if barely.” Meg took the vicomte’s silence as a cue to continue, and she did. “My situation has not been the best. Ever since the incident I have not been able to find work as a dancer since no opera house wants to be associated with the Opera Populaire. I had no other options but this one which I chose out of desperation since my mother decided to move back to her home village.”

Raoul though taken aback by the sudden surge of information was not put off by it and decided to converse with her further about her personal life. “Not to judge your life decisions miss Giry, but I am curious as to why you chose to remain in Paris when you could have left with your mother? She must obviously have relatives who could take care of both of you in times of need, so why choose to remain here?”

Meg cast her gaze down when Raoul asked her that. Still she forced herself to speak. “I did it because I want to dance again. Though it would have been easier to leave, I feel as if I would not have been happy anywhere that was not the stage, so I stayed,” she responded in a whispery voice. “I am sorry vicomte for telling you more than I should have since we barely know each other, but I just had to get that off my chest. You are here for Christine, yes?” Meg responded quickly whipping her head and catching a glimpse of Raoul’s surprised face.

“Oh, no problem. It was a nice change of pace to hear of someone else’s struggles rather than just thinking of my own,” Raoul answered genuinely. “But unfortunately, yes. I have a letter I need you to send your mother so she can send it to Christine.” Meg never understood why Raoul had even requested this complicated arrangement in the first place. Why couldn’t he simply mail letters to Christine himself rather than have her and her mother do it for him? She suspected it had something to do with the phantom, but that opens up another box of bad memories.

“I see, well give it here I suppose. You know Christine is my best friend and I know it would bring her more joy if you were to mail these yourself,” Meg responded in a questioning tone. Even if this was because of the phantom, he had no reason to fear for Christine, she can take care of herself.

“Yes, I know she would prefer direct responses but in this situation I really much rather not,” Raoul responded nervously with a bead of sweat forming its way down the side of his face. Meg ever attune to the miniscule details spoke her mind openly.

“It’s him, isn’t it?” Raoul, no longer seeing any reason for hiding information from someone who could be a valuable ally decided to let her in on the current events.

“Yes, it’s him. Which is why I can’t risk giving any direct trails to Christine. I need this favor more than anything so please do this not for me but for Christine.” Meg feels a bit cheated at his last statement. If it involves Christine then she should know too. She loves her like a sister and if any harm would come to her that she could help prevent then she wants to know.

“Well I won’t do as you ask, not until you tell me why. What has been going on that has scared you so vicomte? If it involves Christine’s safety then you know I want to help too,” Meg declared sternly and strait to the point. She will not allow the vicomte an out this time. Last time he had tried to protect Christine all by himself the opera house was burned down, and she’d be damned if something like that were to happen again.

Raoul had already decided that there was no point in hiding anything from her, so he spoke. He told her of everything that had happened from the moment of their first encounter underground, his harassment all the way to the phantom’s current search for Christine, leaving out a few small details of course.

Meg expressions more or less were as dynamic as her dancing. Her expressions would quickly shift to ones of horror, anger, and deep thought but never remained in one state for very long. After the vicomte had finished recounting his experiences Meg remained silent for a few moments and stared at the pale empty wall in front of her. It was in these moments she realized she will never truly be free of her past. Though she was ignorant to most of it as it was occurring, her mother, her best friend and the former patron all had direct dealings in the thing that was responsible for the end of so much. She loved to dance and that had been taken away from her because everyone wanted to be secretive and keep the things that ruined everyone’s lives away from…well, everyone. She knows she is being dramatic with her thoughts. Had she known about these things she knows there is not much she could have done regardless. Insanity is its own compass after all.

Meg takes in a deep breath to collect her thoughts. She knows its useless thinking about the past but there is something she can do now. She will help Christine with as much as she is allowed. Meg herself seems to understand Christine’s newfound sense of independence and what it entails much more than the vicomte seems to. Because of this, if Meg feels that anyone is becoming to overbearing on Christine then she will force herself to step in. With this last incentive in mind Meg puts out her hand, ready to accept the responsibility.

“It’s okay vicomte you have made yourself clear and I understand. Give me the letter and I will make sure it gets to Christine safely.”

Raoul let out a sigh of relief. He was worried that after he told her of all that has been occurring recently that she might not want any part in these shenanigans further considering all that has happened prior.

“Thank you Miss Giry. You have no idea how much this means to me and how much is at stake.”

“Oh, I know. Though I might have been one of the last to learn of the phantom’s true identity, I am quite aware of what he is capable of,” Meg responded in an assertive tone. She will not be kept out of the loop any longer if it means that things could possibly get worse.

“Well I offer my thanks regardless and hope to repay you in any way I can for this huge favor.” Raoul concluded. Raoul was just relieved to have an ally in all this. His brother had never been deeply fond of Christine’s presence to begin with, but miss Giry he knows is someone he can count on that also only wants the best for Christine.

Raoul then begins looking around the small apartment and feels a certain sense of dread knowing this is what the best dancer in the Opera Populaire had been reduced too. It is then a thought occurs to him that he feels dumb for not considering earlier.

“Miss Giry, how would you like to come work at my estate?” Raoul said with a tinge of excitement in his voice. Meg looked at him confused. It was a nice offer sure, but she doesn’t know what that would entail.

“That is a kind offer vicomte, but I am not sure if I could abandon everything I had managed to gather for myself thus far, though it might be little.”

“You do not have to respond right away. I would be willing to offer you shelter and good pay if you were to accept the offer. I know you still want to dance but having a job that keeps you busy all the time is certainly not the best way to go in chasing that dream.”

Meg considered the vicomte’s words. Yes it is true that with her current job and her lack of transportation and well…. everything that the stage has merely become a distant longing even after all the efforts she made to stay in Paris. Meg knew it wasn’t much, but even being a Chagny maid was bound to offer more opportunities than she had now.

“Alright, I’ll consider your offer vicomte, but please I want you to promise me that you will keep me updated on the phantom. You know I care for Christine greatly and want to offer my assistance, so please do not hide things from me.”

Raoul with certainty nods his head slightly and accepts miss Giry’s assistance. The morning was getting rather late and he knew that Meg would be heading off to work soon. “I promise to keep you updated and do consider my offer. I feel that it is getting late however and that I must leave you now. We’ll keep in touch miss Giry,” says Raoul in a quick dismissal feeling as though he has overstayed his welcome.

Meg nods and begins walking the vicomte to her front door. “It’s Meg by the way, there is no need to be so formal,” Meg reiterates with a slight giggle. Raoul begins to smile as well feeling the first genuine smile in a long time.

“Then you should call me Raoul instead of my title,” he counters. Meg smiles and leads Raoul outside her apartment. “Well then ‘Raoul’ I hope to hear from you soon on any updates,” Meg offers as a final farewell.

“And the same goes for you Meg, let me know what you think of my offer,” Raoul reasserts as he begins making his way down the stone steps. Final goodbyes made, Raoul now only feels grateful that he is no longer the only one bearing this burden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well we finally meet Meg and the phantom is off in his search. Much more is to come and you can only imagine what this means for all characters involved. Thanks for being patient with me and please let me know your thoughts since they help me alot.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry about the long hiatus I took with no warning. I had a huge workload from school and have been working on my thesis for months. I have not abandoned this story and actually have the ending planned out already. Staying at home has given me a lot of free time meaning that I have completed most of my coursework and can go back to writing. Well its been a while but let me know what you think.

Erik had arrived in Lyon hours prior and his search so far has been irritating to say the least. For one, even though the city itself was not large, especially in comparison to Paris he came across some obstacles when it came to deciding where to begin his search. There were only a few convents in the whole city which he could count on a single hand, but he was not expecting the cloistered life to be so…active. Erik because of his indecision began his search to the closest one at hand which was a Carmelite convent where he ended up spending an unnecessarily large amount of time in watching the nuns walk back and forth along the corridors. None one could stay still for even the smallest amount of time it seemed. After watching the nuns go about their daily activities for what felt like hours Erik finally decided to act now that the sisters were all gathered in prayer. Erik assumes all of the sisters to be present in the chapel during this important sacred ritual and not running about. He decides now would be the best time to conduct a head count. Erik takes a close look at all of the sisters from the oldest to the youngest as they have their heads bowed in prayer but is disappointed to discover that none of these women are his dear Christine.

Erik is not a quitter however and decides that even if Christine was not present within the bunch of about twenty nuns then she must be elsewhere in the convent. Erik then makes his way down the same long hallway he had been observing for hours. It appears that there is truly no one else in the convent that was not currently in the small room. Taking in his surrounding Erik only now notices the small intricacies if the building that he had been ignoring. At the end of the long hallway there is a door that leads outside into a spacious courtyard. There is a stone fountain at the center surrounded by various colors of wilting roses due to the cold weather. Surrounding this patch of greenery appeared to be the main quarters of the convent that enclosed everything in a diamond formation made of stone. Without much hesitation Erik put himself to work and began his thorough investigation.

Of course, Erik finds nothing and just ends up frustrated with himself since that distraction had cost him more than half a day. Erik knew that if he wanted to find Christine quickly and efficiently he needed a more strategic approach than his initial one. There where at least four other convents present in the city along with a number of churches. Erik could just visit them all and see which one Christine was being held in, but he knew that it would take much too long. Well, not really now that Erik put deep thought into his strategy. It appears that all the sisters gather during specific times of the day such as for prayer or meals. The easiest approach now would be to take a head count in all of the convents and see which one housed his Christine. This strategy obviously requires a bit of patience, but Erik viewed that extra time to his benefit since he needed time to travel from location to location without drawing too much attention to himself. So yes, a head count during lunch and dinner it was.

Another thing that Erik found worked in his favor was that there were no legends about him here. Even though all of Europe now had knowledge of the insane man who burned down an opera house due to his grievances posed no real threat to the unsuspecting inhabitants of this small city. Erik was dressed in all black clothing suitable for any gentleman and no one seemed to look at him twice. He still wore his mask, but much of it was covered by a thick black scarf he wore around his neck that no one questioned. It was nearing winter, and many could be seen sporting similar attire after all. If someone took a closer look however, they were bound to notice his porcelain white mask but would most likely not make a scene about it as he had become accustomed to. If anything, they would just assume he was a veteran hiding a nasty battle scar.

Everything was running a bit too smoothly that Erik in the back of his mind felt that he should feel worried. ‘Nothing is ever this easy’ he would remind himself periodically, ‘Something was bound to go wrong’ was another chant that his mind seemed to put on repeat for much of his travelling. He ignored all those concerns for the time being because he knew that once he found Christine they would all be meaningless.

Christine. His mind could not seem to grasp the concept that he will once again be reunited with her. He felt all sorts of emotions rush to him at once. How he had longed to see her since the moment they separated. He would stop at nothing to get her back. His current quest proves this exact sentiment. He will search every nook and cranny of this city to find her, but with so few destinations it should only be a matter of time. There is no reason for turning this city on its head.

With positive thoughts running through his head for once, Erik resumed his search.

*

Raoul had returned home sometime during the evening. After having had his little talk with Meg, he decided that he needed some time to himself. After everything that has happened, a moment to breath and look at the bigger picture seemed almost crucial. So, he had decided to take a walk in the city. While there, he took a moment to observe just how much it had changed. When Raoul returned from the navy, he never put much thought into the city itself rather the affairs happening within it. But now that he has time he can appreciate just how much it has evolved into something that would be more fitting to this modern era. It was no masterpiece considering the clouds of smoke that would rise out of the industrial chimneys, but it was not the backwards, never changing place Raoul had become accustomed to in his boyhood either.

After a day of refamiliarizing himself with Paris, Raoul was exhausted. When he walked through the main entrance of his estate where he was greeted by a few maids. He asked his staff about the whereabouts of his brother but no one on the estate could give him a clear answer. Believing he was on his own for now, Raoul decided to continue reminiscing by taking a quick stroll inside the estate. He walked across the grand foyer and began his small tour on the second floor. Since him and his brother where the only family living on the estate there was a lot of free space that neither of them could find the time or use for. That’s why he didn’t feel the need to spend time on the first floor. The only things that were noteworthy on the first floor were the foyer, the ball room, the dining room and the kitchens. Everything besides those main rooms either served as meeting rooms for Philippe and his business partners or belonged to the servants. The parts of the house that Raoul considered his own were all on the second floor.

Raoul begins his ascent up the stairs trying to take in the homely atmosphere. It did not work of course because the more he tried to focus on his surroundings, the more he thought of ‘him.’ Raoul would never openly admit it, but he was terrified of the phantom. He was terrified not for his own sake, but the potential harm his loved ones could be placed in because of him. If the phantom had been willing to harm those closest to him before, then there is no doubt that he would be willing to again. Raoul found it rather difficult to hold sympathy for the man who almost killed his only remaining family. Despite this Raoul knows he should not take an emotional approach to this situation.

It was then that Raoul came across the door that led into the library. Seeing no reason to avoid the poor room Raoul decided to step inside in hopes of reminiscing about the happier times of his childhood. His father and him would spend hours in this room talking about everything and nothing. On occasion Philippe would accompany them as well and they would spend full evenings in each other’s company.

These happy childhood memories are not what graced Raoul’s mind but rather they were replaced by the image of the phantom, mocking him in his own getaway. It angers Raoul to think about that man, yet his mind could not avoid conjuring up the image of his smug expression and mischievous eyes when he confronted Raoul about his personal hobby. Did the phantom intend to control his mind as well as his life? Raoul would do anything to force the image of his proud demeanor from his mind.

Then he heard it. It was slight, a noise hidden just beneath the surface of the silence that encompassed the library, but it was there. What was it? Raoul questioned. He heard it again but this time louder. It was not coming from the empty library or from the hallway just outside. If Raoul listened closely, he could tell that it was coming from within the walls.

Bang! The loud sound definitely came from the walls leaving Raoul petrified. Terror began to overtake Raoul as a million questions rushed through his mind.

Was he here? Did he not leave? Will he kill us? Questions Raoul did not have the answers to and was almost not willing to find out. His brother! Raoul suddenly remembered. Raoul then sprinted out of the library and ran down the long hallways. He needed to find Philippe, yet his legs could not seem to carry him as fast as he would have liked. The place his brother would most likely be at this hour was in his study.

When Raoul arrived at the door of his brother’s study he quickly swung it open and gasped. Raoul was shocked by what he saw just behind his brother’s desk. The farthermost wall had been pushed to the side revealing a dark passage. Raoul, coming out of his stupor decided that he needed to investigate and slowly made his way towards the secret entrance. Raoul of course not knowing what to expect braced himself for any obstacle that might be thrown at him. If he came face to face with the phantom then a fight to the death it was. Once near the opening, Raoul took a few tentative steps forward that surrounded him in complete darkness. The passage led down lower, but without a source of light Raoul knew that there was no point in venturing forward. When he turned around however, Raoul found himself no longer alone in the narrow passageway.

“Philippe! Don’t do that you nearly gave me a heart attack!” Raoul shouted in a nervous voice. Philippe calm as ever grabbed his brother’s hand and led him back into his study.

“I wouldn’t have surprised you had you been more aware. You should have heard me coming with how echoey those passages are.” Philippe both reprimanded and warned his brother. “Well I was distracted! What is this Philippe, why is this tunnel here!?” Raoul said sounding both angry and relieved.

“The passages you mean. These have been here since this estate was first constructed by our great grandfather. You think I don’t know about your secret room in the library?” Philippe chided.

Raoul rose to the taunt, “I thought you were dead! I heard a loud crash coming from within the walls and rushed here to find you!” Noticing his brother’s distraught, Philippe decided to lessen the tension between them. “I’m sorry, had I known you were home I would have come out of the passages immediately,” Philippe said in a warm tone.

Raoul was visibly still angry, justifiably so but Philippe thought his brother was overreacting. “I’m sorry okay. If it makes you feel any better I could give you a tour of the hidden passages if you would like.”

Raoul thought about it for a moment before deciding the answer was obvious. “Of course I want to know about these tunnels. How could they have been here my whole life and not have known about them.” Philippe, not one to waste time decided to go ahead and play teacher.

“Well, these tunnels have resided within the estate since it was first built. During the construction of this estate the future of the monarchy was not certain, and if you know our family history the Chagny’s have always been fiercely loyal to the king. Our ancestors fearing for their lives built this estate as a safeguard in case the people ever revolted and created multiple escape routes if the estate ever came under attack. We don’t need them anymore obviously, but these tunnels are still here and are arranged in a network that connects the higher and lower levels to the major rooms of the estate. Father granted me this knowledge for when I inherit this house and made a point to tell me which tunnels lead where, which rooms are hidden, and which ones are off limits. All passages lead to three main exits. One leads to the stables on the far end of the estate, the second leads to a hidden opening in the countryside, and the final route leads to the catacombs.”

Raoul took a minute to try and comprehend the mess his brother had just explained to him. It was then that Philippe decided to begin the walking tour and grabbed his lantern and beckoned Raoul to follow. The tunnels themselves were dark and musty. Dark as if they were the passages leading to hell itself. Philippe continued walking for a bit and stopped in front of a large metal door that was bolted and locked. “This is the first door I will show you. This door connects to your bedroom Raoul and is hidden behind the wooden paneling next to your bookshelf. Raoul stared at the iron door longer than necessary. How could such easy access to his room have been here this whole time without him knowing? All he could think of when given this new knowledge was of the phantom, the expert of hiding in shadows. That thought alone ricocheted in Raoul’s head time and time again. Now was as good a time as any to ask questions he supposes.

“Do you use keys to open the passages or are they triggered by a secret lever? Would knocking the door down by force be enough to subdue it because I want to know brother how easy it was for him to get into my room!?” Raoul shrieked at his brother, pitch rising with each syllable.

In turn Philippe just stared at his brother, with a stern yet sympathetic gleam in his eyes. “I know Raoul, had I told you about these tunnels or attended to them sooner these events might not have happened,” Philippe pauses taking in a deep breath before continuing. “I know my apologies will never make up for the danger I indirectly put you in; but in my naivety I never imagined anything drastic occurring as a result of these tunnels. If anything, I’m glad it was me who was taken from this room and not you.”

Raoul was taken aback by his brother’s statement. He could wholeheartedly see the look of regret painted on Philippe’s features even though the only source of light came from the small flickering lantern in his brother’s hand. Feeling guilty, Raoul felt it was his turn to apologize.

“Though these tunnels come as a shock to me brother, there is no need to apologize for their existence since you did not build them. Knowing of their existence might have been helpful when handling the phantom but on the other hand he is an insane genius who would have likely found another way to attack me regardless,” Raoul concluded with a soft and understanding tone of voice. He paused before continuing. “And please Philippe never again say that it was better for you to be harmed by him instead of me. It was my own stubborn will that lead him to this home; and even though I do not regret my decisions concerning him, I do regret the effects they had on you. I am the one who should be apologizing Philippe since I am the one who had sworn to protect Christine, yet you were the one drawn into the crossfire.”

Raoul did not look at Philippe. There was too much guilt in his expression, his posture, and in his aura emanated an endless stream of regret.

Ever pragmatic Philippe decided to put an end to this pity party and finish what he had come to do inside the tunnels. “There is no point in feeling bad about the past Raoul. What is done is done and we both lived. We might not be so lucky next time considering he will likely return with a vengeance once he discovers I had lied to him. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and help me relock and seal up all the entrances. I have already sealed up the entrances leading to the catacombs which are the ones I assumed he used to enter the estate but not the rest.”

Raoul took only a small moment to regain his composure. They could have had the entrances locked the whole time? Philippe, seeing the confused look on his brother’s face read his thoughts and elaborated. “Yes, they were locked before, but the locks were so old and rusty that they could have been easily broken.” To finish his explanation, Philippe then grabs a piece of rusted, bent metal and then jams it through the hinges that would have previously held the lock. Though it appeared challenging to jam the door completely, Philippe’s use of force seems to be a good way of making sure that the door would remain unopened.

“Brother… jamming the metal won’t seal the door from the inside of the tunnels only the outside. If the phantom truly wants to attack us and manages to get inside these passageways regardless we are as good as dead,” Raoul responded in a timid and solemn voice. There was no way simply jamming the doors would keep the phantom out. If he was able to break into these passages before then he would be able to do it again.

Philippe turned to his brother with a defeated look on his face. He knows that there is sense in what his brother is saying making it all the more disturbing. Philippe knew from the beginning that sealing the doors would not be enough to keep the maniac out. Philippe’s real goal was to jam the doors so tight that the walls themselves would shake should anyone try to open them by force. Though it would not keep out the phantom, at least it would alert them of his presence.

Philippe had not come up with a suitable plan to take care of the phantom as of yet. Hell bent on revenge the more Philippe hesitates, the more danger he and his brother would be placed in once the phantom comes looking for them.

Raoul notices the array of emotions passing through his brother’s face. Knowing that the effort was pointless, Raoul decides to still help his brother in his efforts of sealing the tunnels. “Tell me where the rest of the doors are Philippe and let me help you. Though I admit our efforts might be fruitless, it is still better than doing nothing.”

Philippe seeing no need to explain further decided that there was no reason to clarify his reasoning. Instead he gave Raoul instructions, “Go back to my study and find another lantern. Once you have retrieved it, come here so I can lead you to the passages connected to the ballroom. You will seal those while I focus on the more obscure and dangerous ones.”

Raoul having enough of this somber atmosphere walked past his brother taking his leave. The tension was enough to bring Raoul to reality. They were fighting against a madman who has many talents at his disposal. He could do away with them easily if him and Philippe insisted on being obstacles. Taking one last glance at his brother Raoul yells, “You know I was worried about you earlier. I heard a noise in the library and thought it was him.” Philippe turn his head to respond. “Stop being so paranoid Raoul.” Philippe felt that he should take his own advice.

*

To say Erik was frustrated was an understatement. He was beyond annoyed feeling slight twinges of fury creeping in through the corners of his mind. He had spent the entire day visiting monasteries and none of them held Christine. Night had fallen and he had yet to find even a slight trace of her. That and the fact that there were only a few within the whole city was what infuriated Erik the most. He had come to find out however that these places he visited were not separate convents but all under the control of one abbess spread throughout the city. It seems that openness was not an issue here since the sisters did not stay indoors all day long as nuns are supposed to but were out in the open like normal people running errands. There was only one building left to search in the entire city and for his sake he hopes that Christine lives within its walls.

Erik stood at a street corner, hat brought down low and scarf wrapped tightly to obscure his face. The streets were now less crowded with people thinning as the minutes ticked by. Everyone was in a hurry to return home and escape the freezing weather that was now harsher in the nighttime. Some curious strangers would cast glances at Erik thinking him crazy for standing alone in this freezing weather.

Erik fixed his eyes on the lone building on the opposite side of the street, its heavy gates mocking him. Deciding there is no reason to postpone the inevitable, Erik began making his way towards the side of the building looking for an entrance. After completing a semicircle around the perimeter, Erik found an opening hidden just below eye-level that was being covered by some bushes. This entrance has likely been forgotten since it is so well hidden that the only way to find it was if you were looking for it. Erik bent down and made his way through the small opening. As he suspected the small window led to a basement of sorts. Once inside Erik took a moment to compose himself and began observing his surroundings. There were many blankets and sheets piled on top of one another that they could tip over with even the slightest force. Aside from the towers of sheets, there were various cabinets lining the walls. Erik was not particularly concerned with their contents and was only interested in looking for his Christine.

It was late so Erik was not expecting much movement on the upper levels. Erik once again took to the shadows as he ascended the staircase leading to the first floor. He wasted no time in his search and immediately went towards the only light present in the dark corridor. The light was dim and was coming from a single room on the far end. Though it was late, it was not so late into the night that everyone should be sleeping. The sisters running this building must prefer early bedtimes.

When Erik reached the end of the hallway he glanced into the room and saw something unexpected. Inside were four beds with two on each side lined next to each other. The beds were empty except for the farthermost bed closest to the window where a little girl was reading. The book was much too big for her little hands and Erik wondered if the girl even knew how to read since her eyes would not focus but just stare aimlessly at the pages.

Then it hit him, he was in an orphanage just like Christine had described in her letter! She must be here! This realization shocked Erik more than he was expecting. The anxiety of finally setting eyes upon Christine left him frozen in place. He stared aimlessly at the dark hallway for several moments. In his shocked state Erik had not noticed the little girl was no longer at his window but was instead looking at him though the small crack in the doorway.

Silence carried on for another small moment before the child unable to hold her breath longer inhaled a bit louder than she intended. That caught Erik’s attention immediately as he cast his gaze upon the small child now trembling with fear. Unable to speak or move, the child simply stared up at Erik in awe. Finally gaining a little courage, the girl decided to break the silence.

“Are you a ghost?” she whispered timidly. Finally taken out of his trace Erik decided there was no harm in answering. “To most people I am,” he replied just as quietly. He would admit he was impressed. It has been decades since anyone has managed to sneak up on him. Erik was even more impressed by the fact that she had not screamed and ran in horror.

The little girl looked up at him expectantly. She knew that the adults who came into the orphanage never visited the living quarters, and much less during the night. The only people who were allowed into this area where the sisters and the other children living here. She had no idea who this man was or what he wanted, but surprisingly she did not feel scared. She opened the door a little wider and stepped out of the room. She now stood in the hallway with large innocent eyes staring directly at Erik.

Erik, not knowing what to do in this situation decided it would be best to get rid of the child as quickly as possible. “Pretend you never saw me, I must go now,” he answered hastily. The little girl would not be brushed aside so easily. She did not know why, but she felt she could trust this man. The sisters have told her time and time again not to talk to strangers. It was a bad habit of hers, but she found that she likes the company of adults, mostly because they remind her of her father. With this in mind she was not willing to let Erik go that easily. “Can you stay? I won’t tell anyone I saw you if you stay a bit longer.”

What? Erik was confused. He did not have time to waste on naughty children and much less now that he was so close to finding Christine. Erik now wishes that she had tried screaming and running away instead. Well, not really since it would have cause an uprising making Christine’s abduction from this place much more difficult. Besides, the child has now seen him meaning that once he takes Christine the police would know it was him and come looking for him once more. The police themselves weren’t an issue but they were an annoyance. Thinking clearly Erik decided that silencing this child was probably the safer route to take.

“Fine I will stay, but only for a few moments. You should be sleeping anyways.”

“I can’t fall asleep unless someone tucks me in and sings to me,” she whispered. She then grabbed Erik’s hand, entered the room and plopped herself on her bed near the window. She looked expectantly up at Erik. He gave a sigh of defeat. The little girl opened her covers and placed herself inside. Erik then grabbed the comforter and placed it gently over the sleepy child. The child now comfortably tucked in look up at Erik with green expectant eyes. “Can you sing me a song? I don’t care which one.” Erik having a large reservoir of songs tried to think of one that would be appropriate for a child. It is then that he recalls the tune he would sing to Christine when she had first arrived at the opera house.

Erik took a deep breath and began singing softly. It had been many years since he had sung this song and he was suddenly hit with the nostalgia of those first few months of Christine’s presence in the opera house. He had been so happy then. No one had ever looked up to him in admiration before, and Christine’s childlike innocence had mesmerized him. For the first time in his life he had not been seen as a monster but an angel. He glanced down at the child as her eyes began fluttering. A strange feeling stirred within him as Erik gazed down at the girl. Her soft brown hair became ruffled as she pushed herself deeper and deeper into her pillow. If it was not for her slightly wider nose and thinner lips she would have looked exactly like Christine as a child. A tender feeling grew in Erik’s chest and he could not help the gentle eyes that were now staring at this girl.

When his song was finished she remained quiet. Erik sat beside her a bit longer before deciding it was time to go and find the real Christine. As he stood up however the child spoke. “You have such a pretty voice, just like Sister Christine. I really miss her sometimes” she muttered sleepily.

Erik paused. Missed her? What did she mean? Was she not here? “What do you mean you miss Christine?” Erik asked anxiously. “Miss Christine used to sing me to sleep. She knows I hate sleeping alone in this room and would sing to comfort me,” the child responded. “Where has she gone?” Erik asked impatiently. Erik’s reaction did not go unnoticed. “I don’t know, one day the sisters told me that Miss Christine was moving away. She’s been gone for a long time now,” she responded innocently.

Erik could not believe what he was hearing. Christine was not here! No, this child must be lying. How could he have been wasting time and not have realized it? He will search the orphanage tonight, and if he cannot find her then there will be hell to pay.

Erik began making his way towards the door when the child’s voiced stopped him once more. “Will you come back?” Erik did not look at the girl, not wanting to show her his anger. “Not likely, there is something important I came to do, and I have no other reason for being here,” he responded. The little girl now fully awake got out of her bed and made her way towards Erik. She grabbed something from her nightstand and placed it in Erik’s hand.

“Here, this means you have to come back and visit.” Erik looked at the object that was placed in his hand. It was a locket made of gold that had its edges bent and its cover scratched. He gently opened the locket revealing a picture of the little girl and a man in a naval uniform. As he inspected it closer her saw an inscription on the back, _Little Therese, Remember I’m Always with You. _As touching as the sentiment was, Erik knew he could not keep this locket.

“I’m sorry but I have no intentions of returning to this city once my business is done,” he said to the girl. He reached out to give back the locket, but the girl hid her hands behind her back. “I can’t take it back. Once you hold it you make a promise” she said. Erik sighed; he had already wasted so much time he might as well search the convent archives for the records of Christine’s transfer. With a defeated look Erik finally relented.

“Very well, I will remain in this city for a couple more days. If I do not find what I’m looking for then I will leave and you will never see me again.” The girl happy about her victory smiled up at Erik before giving him a big hug. “Thank you,” she said before hurrying back to bed. Before Erik departed he left little Therese with a reminder, “Remember, you did not see me. If you tell anyone that you did you will never see me again.” The girl, happy to have ensure his return nodded her head once before resting it against her pillow.

As Erik exited the room he took another moment to collect his thoughts. He will begin his new search by first visiting the convent archives within this orphanage and then the others to see if he can find a direct lead to Christine’s location. If he cannot, then he will return to Paris and the Chagny’s will have hell to pay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The little girl was a last minute addition but I think she helps with reminding Erik of his human side. Let me know your thoughts!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for waiting for this chapter. I have finished school so I finally have more time to myself. I hope you enjoy and feel free to leave a review.

Days had passed since Raoul had last encountered Erik in his underground home. In the days following Raoul had become a ball of anxiety; constantly looking over his shoulder to see if the haunting shimmer of a porcelain white mask was following him. Raoul’s paranoia of course would not cease despite his various attempts to calm his mind. Calming his mind helped sometimes but not always.  
Raoul currently found himself sitting on one of the comfortable sofas in his family library. He had gone there to ease his mind with literature, but all his efforts thus far have been in vain. All Raoul had achieved was to endlessly stare at word filled pages while haunting thoughts assaulted his mind over and over again. What’s worse it that this place that was once a sanctuary for Raoul was now tainted because of the events that had transpired here previously with the phantom were still fresh in his mind. This man had indeed done much harm to his family and himself, but Raoul knows that none of the previous harassment would compare to the pain the vengeful phantom now intends to bring upon both himself and his brother.

  
To be honest though Raoul knows that the will of the phantom is malicious and unbending, he still searches for a way to avoid his wrath. In a best-case scenario the only thing Raoul can realistically see himself accomplishing is that he would be the only one afflicted and his brother and Christine would go free. Raoul knows that if he chooses this route that the pain would be unbearable, yet he is willing to accept punishment if only to let his brother and Christine go free.

  
Raoul knows he might come across as a quitter and that is because it is partially true. He had come face to face with the phantom before and he had shamefully been bested the first time and was only saved by Christine. If it wasn’t for Christine then he is sure that he would have been dead at this very moment. The second time around it had been the phantom’s own priorities that had allowed him and his brother to go free. Raoul hates to admit it, but the phantom has intellectually bested him in the areas of plotting and revenge seeking.

  
It was during these depressive thoughts that an interruption was heard coming from the entrance of the library. At this intrusion Raoul turned his head to see his butler making his way towards him from the entrance. When the aged man reached to where Raoul was seated, he simply held out a platter with two envelopes placed on top. The butler then spoke for clarification.

  
“These arrived not too long ago monsieur vicomte. I assumed that these letters would be of importance.” Raoul looked at the letters more closely to see what his butler was talking about. There were indeed two letters both sealed, but one letter exclusively seemed to grab all of Raoul’s attention.

  
“Thank you so much!” Raoul exclaimed slightly louder than he intended. His butler only smiled knowing that the delivery of one specific letter would brighten the mood of his employer. Raoul has been melancholy for the past few days and him and the rest of the staff had become worried, hoping for a change in the vicomte’s mood. “I will take that as my leave, if you need anything else monsieur please do not hesitate to ask,” said the butler as he bowed and began making his way towards the exit.

  
Raoul stared at the two letters in his hands but really only paid attention to one. He was excited which he has not been for days now, but it is true that hearing from one’s friends is a good way of brightening anyone’s mood. Raoul placed the other letter to the side for now and looked at the other with undivided attention. It was a simple cream-colored envelope made of fine paper with blue lace trimming on the edges. The wax seal enclosing the letter was gold in color and on it was the crest of a lady holding a sword in one hand a dove on the other.

  
The seal was as familiar to Raoul as that of his own family. This seal belongs to one of his closest friends from his schooldays. Raoul remembers him clearly and for once is taken out of his negative thoughts and is instead brought back to the happier times of his adolescence.

  
Raoul remembers him clearly; they had first met when Raoul was sent away to a private academy selected by his parents at the age of 14. He recalls the other being extremely extroverted and more outgoing than himself. He had helped Raoul become accustomed to the academy life after being sent away. After the first few turbulent weeks, they had become inseparable and had stuck together ever since.

  
Raoul did not think that his melancholy could be so easily broken. This is the distraction he’s been needing since this in no way is connected to his current affairs with the phantom. Not wanting to waste time, Raoul gently pulled the seal from the envelope revealing the letter inside. The letter was also written on a fine piece of paper matching the envelope. He pulled the letter out and unfolded it, revealing the message from his friend. The message was rather short in comparison to the other letters he has received from this same friend.

  
_Raoul,_

  
_How have you been? Just kidding I don’t expect you to answer that question. As you know things have been going well for me here in Italy and I have been ecstatic these past few months over having been reunited with some of my distant relatives. You know how it is every trip home, it becomes more and more difficult for me to leave. My family is oh so welcoming and cannot bear to see me part after so long. I will keep this message short because I have no reason to write what I can tell you in person. If you have been guessing, then you are correct my dear friend. I will be returning to Paris in a few weeks’ time to bother you in person! When we meet I will be more than happy to tell you of my travels, and you can talk my ear off about your lady troubles. I received your last letter telling me that you had ended your engagement and I am sorry that I was not there to comfort you when you most needed me. To make up for it, I have a surprise waiting for you when I return to Paris once more. Just make sure you are alive and in good condition to receive me. I am hoping you have not fallen completely into despair because of Miss Daae. Till then, I bid you good fortune Raoul._

  
_Yours truly,_

_Luca Alessandro Bellucci_

  
Raoul had been in a pleasant mood until he reached that last part, now he was depressed once more. Not only did he have to mention Christine, but he also had to bring up the “staying alive” part. If only Luca knew that he might not actually be alive to welcome him! Should he write to him as a final goodbye? Raoul was uncertain of what his next move should be concerning the phantom. He might as well say his goodbyes while he still has the chance.

  
What is he thinking? Raoul quickly glanced over the letter once more tightening his resolve once and for all. He will not succumb to his fear, he will not let the phantom harm Christine or his family, and he most certainly will NOT let him win. Raoul was not a coward when he first had to defend Christine in the Opera Populaire and there was no reason for him to be afraid now. Raoul admits that he was less experienced and more willing to take risks during their first encounters. But he is not like he was before; he can overcome the phantom given time and planning. All he needs now is to construct a plan that would catch the phantom off guard, but what? Until then Raoul will abandon this pessimistic stream of thoughts and focus on the positive, that he will in fact be victorious.

  
Coming down from his emotional high Raoul remembers that there is also a second letter that was sent to him. Quickly he decides to finally address the issue by grabbing the envelope and tearing it open more forcefully than necessary. Raoul pulled out the sheet of paper and inside was a letter from Monsieur Ricci concerning the art gallery. Raoul was taken aback slightly because he had honestly forgotten about the art gallery given that all of his thoughts lately have been directed towards Christine and the phantom. Raoul skims the letter over and it appears to be nothing more than a notice that the project director had been informed of his patronage and that he could not thank him enough. The message was pretty standard and Raoul did not put any more thought than necessary. Now he had a mission to fulfill, to discover a way to get rid of the phantom once and for all.

  
*

  
Erik sighed as he once again forced himself to look through the boxful of faded documents and papers. It has been days since his investigation of Christine’s exact whereabouts had begun and so far he has been unsuccessful in obtaining any direct leads. He had traveled from convent to convent in the dead of night searching through the vast amount of records only to discover that Christine was in fact in this city some months ago but had been transferred under the request of the abbess who believed another location would be more fitting for Christine. She was still a novitiate meaning that she has not officially become a sister. The only thing Erik had managed to discover was that due to a growth in population of various French towns and cities, many sisters were mobilized and relocated to places where these large resurgences were occurring. The only other thing that Erik had managed to discover about Christine is that she is under the guidance of a Sister Lucia, and that she is to help her accommodate and adapt to the monastic life more easily. Unfortunately, as Erik has come to discover there are hundreds of Sister Lucia’s recorded throughout the archives and he would not know where to begin. Some of them have traveled as far as Asia and the America’s.

  
It seems that the records do not hold much information on novitiates in general. It is only until they become full-fledged sisters that they start recording their affairs. To say Erik was frustrated is an understatement. He has wasted the better part of his days and nights searching through various libraries only coming up with worthless information. Erik knows it is time to move on and return to Paris but he himself has been stagnant to do so. Finally fed up with his pointless searching, Erik stands up and begins making his way towards the window on the far corner of the room. He is in one of the more obscure monasteries which is surrounded by forest accounting for a vast number of trees and wildlife. He had come across some deer and foxes when traveling through these woods earlier and was not willing to stick around and discover the types of creatures that the night housed. Erik now completely outside of the convent grounds begins walking down a familiar path.

  
Erik knows that there is little reason for remaining in this city much longer but has intentionally been putting off the inevitable. Though he is still consumed by anger for having been made a fool of, he cannot help looking for excuses as to why this fruitless searching is still the best course of action. Erik knows why but doesn’t want to admit it. Another good thing about all this extra time on his hands however is that Erik can now think of fitting punishments to end the vicomte and his brother’s lives. Erik is not the type of person to be toyed with, especially to this degree. The comte was cleverer than Erik first gave him credit for he’ll admit, but that same cleverness is what is going to put him in a grave. Erik does not know whether he should kill them in private, alone and abandoned never to be found or if he should make their deaths a spectacle where he can leave their mutilated corpses on display for all to see, forever shaming the Chagny lineage. Erik will admit that the second method is not really his style since he is a man of shadows, but he is willing to make an exception just once since he is angry enough to do so.

  
Why could they not just give him what he wanted? The Chagny’s have everything a person could ever ask for. Money, status, attractiveness, they have it all so why end their pitiful and perfect lives so shortly by getting in his way. He will particularly enjoy putting the vicomte out of his misery once he gets a hold of the information he needs. The vicomte has been a thorn in his side for too long, so long that he can no longer support the very thought of his existence. If he had not been able to make Christine happy from the beginning could he have not simply gone away. He certainly can have any number of ladies so why must his attention be focused on the only woman Erik could ever love?

  
Raoul is handsome and rich meaning he has been set for life. Not only that but the vicomte is smarter than he appears if his literary collection is anything to go by. He also seems to possess some semblance of talent which Erik had not been expecting at all. Erik had always viewed the vicomte as someone worldly and shallow and yet there is a depth to him that he cannot help admiring. Listing the good qualities of the vicomte was a terrible idea Erik concluded. He could now picture his annoyingly peaceful face that first night he visited the estate. He recalls the small details such as the softness of the vicomte’s cheeks and the way the moonlight reflected off the strands of his golden hair. Who knew that this innocent looking individual would be the cause of so much of Erik’s distress? When Erik finally does get a hold of him he will make sure he suffers. He will make sure that his innocent face is unrecognizable beyond repair and that his torture lasts for as long as humanly possible. The vicomte will feel the pain he had been forced to endure because of him. As Erik continues his walk through the forest dark thoughts continue to capture his mind.

  
After walking for about an hour, Erik finally arrives at his awaited destination. He quietly made his way towards the side of the orphanage along the farthermost wall to the window that was located near the edge of the building. Erik gently slid the window open without making any noise and snuck in without so much as ruffling the leaves on the bushes directly below. When Erik’s feet touched the floor inside he looked up and found a warm smile and excited eyes looking back at him. Erik has no idea why he keeps coming back per the request of this child, but he does. She is not afraid of him which might be the main reason, but he is aware that it is more than that.

  
Little Therese jumps out of bed and goes to greet him with a hug as she always does when he comes to visit her. She is always genuinely happy to see him which Erik can say no one in his life has ever been before, not even Christine. When she finally releases Erik, she pulls his hand and leads him to sit on her bed. Her appearance is ruffled like with most children. Her brown hair is sticking up at weird angles and her faded yellow nightgown had become extremely wrinkled and faded. She plops herself down and fetches the book on her nightstand anxiously handing it to Erik.

  
“Can you finish the last story? I want to know what happens to the rabbit and the fox,” she says with giddiness. “Very well,” he responds. Erik picks up where he had last left off as the child inched closer to him to get a better look at the pictures. Erik, seeing her struggle and craning her neck sat up straighter to accommodate. Therese took this as an opportunity to climb onto his lap. She sat there and listened to Erik read about the various trials the rabbit had to undergo because of the mischievous fox before a question came to mind.

  
“Has anyone ever treated you like the rabbit? So many bad things happen to him because the other animals want to eat him.” She looked up at him with expectant eyes and all Erik could do was sit there and think. Erik didn’t think he was like the rabbit at all, if he were anyone in this story it would be the fox because he always saves the rabbit last minute due to pettiness, and wanting to be the one to eat him. It was a strange enmity between the rabbit and the fox, they both hated each other but the fox is not willing to give anyone else the kill even though it would solve everyone’s problems. Erik and the fox were both selfish in that regard. Erik felt that no one should be entitled to his prey other than himself. Erik was a selfish man after all, even when it came to his enemies.

  
Now out of his trance Erik looks down at the little one and answers with the best reply he can conjure. “Not really, I’ve never seen myself as prey but am always the hunter. No one looks down on me,” he said in a light tone as to not upset the child despite those being his true feelings. She of course only giggles as she further buries herself in Erik’s lap. “Really? I always thought that you would be like Mr. Rabbit who despite wanting to make friends only gets chased away because he’s small.” That hit Erik closer to home than he would have liked. It is now he is brought back into his own childhood where he is vulnerable and at the mercy of people who only sought to exploit and abuse him. He remembers how in those days he would crave the gentle touch of human companionship. No one would be willing to offer it on the count of his face. Erik is not that helpless anymore, and no one should make that mistake.

  
“No, I am not like the rabbit, I am not like any rabbit because I would never allow myself to be vulnerable to anyone.” Therese looked up at Erik still not comprehending why he was so adamant on being one of the mean animals instead of the only innocent one. Instead she decided it would be better to see things Erik’s way and changes the topic.

  
“I think Mr. Fox really likes Mr. Rabbit. They might not admit it, but they both keep each other company without knowing it.” This last statement took Erik a while to grasp. That was a sudden change but not one he was willing to ignore. The notion was absurd, but it keeps the little one engaged. “Really? I think if the fox intends to eat the rabbit then that means he hates it.” Therese shakes her head. “Mr. Fox likes Mr. Rabbit a lot. He says he is going to eat him but always manages to make small conversation even if they are fighting.” Why does this scenario sound familiar? To chase and hate yet hold a fondness for your prey. Erik’s mind conjures an image, one that he is disgusted exists in the first place, Raoul.

  
Now that truly was ridiculous since he in no way holds any fondness for the insufferable vicomte. Erik hates admitting it, but every now and again his thoughts would be drawn to the vicomte. Most of those imaginary encounters were extremely violent given his relationship with the fop, but a number of them were not so. In the more positive daydreams Erik would conjure about the vicomte he creates a world where they have common interests. Rather than being at each other’s necks they instead bond over the finer things like art and literature. He’ll admit that Christine never held any deep interest in these subjects, but the vicomte so far has presented himself as someone who Erik can have meaningful conversations with. What is he thinking? Erik of all people should not be entertaining such frivolities yet here he was. It will not matter in the end he tells himself. The vicomte will die once he reaches Paris, and these silly daydreams along with him.

  
Never mind, Erik has more pressing matters to attend to, such as ending his connection with this child. He will leave tonight once she goes to bed. He will let her know in advance so she is not disappointed when he does not appear tomorrow or any night after. Erik hates admitting his own weaknesses, but in the course of a few days he had become attached to this child. She never once looked at him in horror and never once asked about his mask. He does not know why but from the moment she came up to him a few nights ago, she has not indicated any form of resistance but rather has encouraged him to come closer.

  
That terrifies Erik. No one has ever done that before other than Christine, and that was only when he was under the guise of the Angel of Music. He is not sure why she reacts the way she does, but he does know that he finds it comforting. Having Therese come to him willingly is something that will haunt Erik forever knowing that there is one person in this world that does not see him as a monster. He must know why.

  
“Therese, can I ask you something?” Erik says firmly yet anxiously. “What is it?” She responds innocently looking up with large curious eyes. “Why have you not asked about my mask?”  
It takes Therese a while to process the question. Isn’t it obvious why she is not asking? “Because my papa told me it’s rude to stare at people when they’ve been hurt,” she answered surely. Erik waited for her to explain her answer, but it never came. “What do you mean when they are hurt?”

  
Therese lifts her hand to grab the small locket that was resting on her nightstand. She opens it to reveal the picture of her and her father right before he left and never returned. “Many of papa’s friends looked like that. He said they were hurt while fighting and that I shouldn’t stare. One of papa’s friends had only one leg and he would take the fake one off to scare me, and I remember another man who would wear an eye patch and chase me around pretending he was a monster.” Therese is silent for a moment. She was now forced to remember the happier moments of her childhood when her father was still around. She remembers how he would leave for months at a time promising every time he would return home.

  
Erik stares down at the picture of the man in the naval uniform. Well, it makes sense that she is not afraid of him Erik supposes. She has been around misshapen people her whole life it seems. Erik will not complain about matters that benefit him. He is more than grateful for having felt genuine kindness and will remember these past few days for the rest of his life. Erik is filled with sadness upon realizing that this is the last night he will ever see her. Might as well make the memory last he supposes.

  
Erik spends the rest of the night reading and singing to the child and even had time to spare to show her magic tricks. She is grinning from ear to ear the whole time wishing for the night to never end. These past few nights have made Therese happier than she has been since her father’s disappearance. Though she knows he must leave, she wishes she could stay with Erik forever. She knows nothing about him, not even his name, but is willing to follow him anywhere.

  
It is when Therese starts getting sleepy that Erik feels he should tell her the news gently. “I am leaving tonight Therese. I’m afraid that this will be the last time you see me,” Erik whispers with a twinge of sadness.

  
This grabs Therese’s attention immediately as she sits up, all traces of tiredness gone. “Leave, you mean back to Paris? Why do you need to go so soon? Can’t you stay longer,” she protests with tears beginning to line her large green eyes. Erik did not know the child’s expression would hurt him as much as it did. He turns his head away from the now crying girl towards the window to collect his emotions.

  
“No, I am afraid I cannot. I have wasted too much time in this city and must return home to finish what I have started.” Therese, being as stubborn as ever only grabs onto Erik’s arm refusing to let go. She begins weeping heavily into his sleeve while trying to think of something that would convince him to stay. She of course cannot think of anything and so does the only thing she can.  
“Can you please take me with you? I promise I’ll behave and won’t cause you any trouble. Please,” she cries into his sleeve.

  
Erik is shocked. He’ll admit that the thought had crossed his mind once or twice, but he never expected she would suggest it out loud. Erik has done many selfish things throughout his life and has not regretted most of those actions. Searching for Christine could in some eyes be considered selfish, but taking this child with him would carry a weight of moral conflict that Erik did not know existed within him. As much as he wants to keep this child who has only shown him love and affection, he knows that Therese does not belong with him in the darkness. He could never take the daylight away from this child like he had with Christine. If he did, the weight on his conscience would destroy him. Erik is willing to save Christine from a life of solitude, but he is not willing to condemn this child to a life of darkness when he has nothing to offer her.

  
Erik takes Therese off his lap and gently places her on her bed facing him. “You know I cannot, you belong here, and my world is not one where children reside,” he finishes with sternness in his voice. Therese with puffy red eyes only stares at him. She understands but does not want to listen. She knows she cannot force him to stay but she wants to make sure that this is not the last time they’ll meet.

  
Therese looks down at the locket she has in her hand one last time before she hands it to Erik. “You have to come back now,” she says. Erik takes his time examining the small piece of jewelry before trying to hand it back to her. “You know I cannot, and it is best you forget I was ever here,” he says. Therese like in their first meeting hides her hands behind her back. “You promise, you have to come back one day and take me with you,” the child says with a flint of courage hidden under all of her tears.

  
Erik, seeing the seriousness in Therese’s eyes concedes. “You give me no choice do you? Very well, I will return but when that day will be is a mystery,” he says with a hint of relief to his voice. He knows that it is wrong to give false hope to a child, but for once in his life Erik intends to keep his promise. Erik pockets the locket as Therese yawns and he tucks her into bed gently singing her to sleep. She smiles and as her mind dozes off and Erik begins making his way towards the window. He will come back for her one day he promises, and this time Christine will serve as her mother figure.

  
*

  
The evening had come unannounced and just like that Philippe and his business partners had been forced to disburse. It was nearing dinnertime and Philippe was on a carriage headed towards his estate. Philippe was rather bored as he looked out the window gently resting his chin on the palm of his hand. The meetings do seem to take a lot out of him, but he supposes that there is no avoiding them.

  
Philippe watched as the streets of Paris began filling themselves with people; well dressed for an evening of fine dining and socializing. Philippe remembers when he considered himself apart of the crowd. His worries were few and he enjoyed the nights away with merriment. This was in a time before his father’s death and now Philippe cannot find a single second where he does not have business to attend. Nowadays Philippe only goes out into the city when business requires it, or on the off chance that one of his old acquaintances would like to meet him in person. The second option however was dwindling as the years passed since most of his friends from his younger years were now married and had the majority of their time’s taken up by their families.

  
Philippe’s thoughts began wandering to his own state in life. No doubt he was content with the current state of things, well other than the homicidal murderer that was after them. He was content with living with his brother on the large estate and Raoul provided sufficient company whenever he was home. They were rather close and for the most part he could trust Raoul with his innermost thoughts and secrets. Deep down Philippe knew that this arrangement could not last forever. Raoul is his own person and he will someday have to leave and build a life of his own that would lead him away from this estate or possibly Paris. In this scenario, all Philippe can do is bid his brother farewell and send his best wishes as Raoul begins his new life.

  
It is what was going to happen with Miss Daae after all. Raoul once married would seek to create a new life with his wife and Philippe would have been powerless to stop him. To build a home, raise a family, all the things that Philippe for some reason was so hesitant on doing for his own. Philippe had considered marriage in the past, but it was mostly looking for partners that his family would have considered suitable for carrying the Chagny name. To Philippe marriage was a tool used by the aristocracy to secure alliances. Whether those alliances be for political or financial gain, they never served any deeper meaning than as a means to an end. That is what Philippe has observed for most of life. Most of the married couples he has encountered seemed to hide unsatisfaction underneath the pleasant smiles. Their eyes never seem to stay on their spouses for longer than necessary, only long enough for basic communication to be conveyed.

  
This does not mean that Philippe does not believe in love, quite the contrary. He knows that love exists, but it is something that is not meant for him. All the cases of true love Philippe can recall stem from relationships that have been years in the making. His mother and father are a perfect example of this. His father when he was younger would occasionally recount the story of how he met his mother when they were children. They were both dragged to a ball by their parents and were the only children present at the stuffy affair. They both ran off and played together while the adults spent the evening drinking wine and conversing. After that event they were inseparable, and their parents had no issue with their children spending so much time together. They were both from noble families and had high standing after all. This relationship took years, and once both his parents were old enough to recognize what their budding emotions were, they did not hesitate to act on them. They began pursuing each other in ways other than friendship. This did not mean that his parents were free of their own problems. Other men would try to court his and Raoul’s mother while ladies of high standing would be itching for an opportunity to get close to their father. In the end, his parent’s feelings remained loyal to one another and the rest is history, especially now since they are both gone.

  
Philippe believed Raoul had grown a similar attachment with Christine Daae. They had known each other since childhood and Raoul had been willing to risk everything for her. They did not have the fairytale ending Philippe had expected. Philippe would be lying if he didn’t admit that he was afraid of Christine Daae taking his brother away from him leaving him all alone. Those fears were unfounded however due to a cruel twist of fate.

  
Philippe once again placed his attention on his surroundings as they were now nearing the estate. As his carriage pulled passed the large metal gates leading to his doorstep, Philippe noticed something peculiar. Near the main entrance was a young lady wearing a faded blue cape secured tightly around her shoulders. Her dress was in no better condition and appeared to be blackened in some areas and had tears that had been patched over.

  
Once his carriage had come to a complete stop, Philippe stepped out to take a closer look at the girl. Her blond hair was tied back with a ribbon which had become matted and dirtied through what he could only guess was intensive labor. She in turn looked back at Philippe with a hint of shame in her eyes as she cast her eyes downward. She knew she was not in presentable shape, especially when facing the comte de Chagny.

  
With a slight bow Meg was the first to break the silence. “I apologize for my intrusion monsieur. I came here seeking the vicomte de Chagny, yet he does not appear to be home.” Meg took into consideration the awkward atmosphere she was suddenly placed in. The comte was finely dressed in a black evening suit and here she was with her dirty rags, yet at this point she admits that she did not have anything better to wear anyways.

  
“Your presence is of no issue to me mademoiselle. I insist you come inside and escape this harsh weather. What kind of gentleman would I be if I could not offer refuge to a lady?” Philippe said with surprising sincerity. He was raised by his parents to be a gentleman to all women, no matter their social standing.

  
Meg with a surprised expression accepts the comte’s hospitality and steps aside so that he may open the door. When he does, he stands aside beckoning Meg to enter first. Once inside, Meg is taken aback by the glamour of the Chagny estate. The outside was beautiful with its grey walls and marble statues, but the inside was different. The inside had light blue walls with gold trimmings that seemed to surround every inch of the estate and had marble statues adorning the main foyer in a tasteful manner. There were paintings of all sorts adorning the walls complementing the grand staircase placed at the center of the massive room.

  
Meg had only seen the foyer in passing when she would come and visit Christine, but she never took much time to stop and consider how beautiful the Chagny estate actually was. She would even say that is was almost as beautiful as the Opera Populaire not because of its extravagance, but because of its simplicity.

  
“Please follow me mademoiselle and I will ask a maid to bring us some tea while we converse,” Philippe said forcing Meg out of her thoughts. She followed him to a drawing room not far from the foyer. It was a simple room with green walls and a fireplace at its center surrounded by heavy bookshelves. There were various chairs and sofas which Meg was free to take her pick. The comte sat in one of the chairs while Meg sat in the one directly across from him. They stared at each other for a while not knowing what the next move should be.

  
Philippe was the one to break the silence and began with pleasant conversation. “Let us begin with introductions shall we. I am the comte Philippe de Chagny and this is my estate. I assume you knew that already since you came here in search of my brother, but you have yet to introduce yourself mademoiselle.” Meg, finally coming to her senses realizes that she has not yet introduced herself.  
“Oh, my sincerest apologies comte for not introducing myself before being invited into your home. My name is Meg Giry and I am an acquaintance of Raoul, I-I mean the vicomte,” she corrected herself nervously. Though she knew herself and Raoul were on friendly terms, she did not know if such casualness would be appropriate with his brother.

  
Philippe was not offended in the slightest and could only assume that she was telling the truth since Raoul did not tend to open himself up so easily. “Well, I welcome you into my home and you are free to wait for Raoul to arrive, though I assumed he would be home by this hour.”

  
Meg looked to him once more and gently smiled, “Oh, well thank you for your kindness, but I should not take long since I am only here on an errand,” she responded.  
Philippe looked at her quizzically thinking what kind of errand this young lady could have been sent on regarding his brother. Sensing his questioning gaze, without revealing too much Meg responded. “Oh, I only bring a message to Raoul sent by my good friend Christine Daae.” In her hands Meg held two letters written by Christine, one addressed to Raoul and the other to The Phantom of the Opera.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Erik is on his way back and the Chagny's are in trouble. The next chapter should be more action packed so hopefully this drag will end. Also, I finally showed some semblance of shipping which I have been anxious to plant into the story since forever now XD. It is still a slow burn so it will feel like climbing a mountain so hang in there. Thanks for reading my story and have a nice day!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo...I know it has been months since I had updated this story and I apologize. Some things in my personal life needed attention so I decided to focus on that for a while. Sorry I could not update sooner since I had the chapter ready for months but had not edited it until now. Let me know what you think.

It was late in the evening when Raoul finally returned home from his little outing. He had not intended to take as long as he did but due to certain… legal limitations, he had been forced to spend a good portion of his day waiting outside a filthy alleyway where the law usually turns a blind eye. Near the center of Paris there was an area where the good law-abiding citizens do not venture. Ironically, these dangerous alleyways were only a few blocks away from where the Opera Populaire once stood. Raoul had known about this place but had not dared come here until today.

He has no previous connections to the underground and thus made sure his face and voice were well hidden. While on business, Raoul had worn a large black coat that seemed to engulf his whole body. He hid his blond hair under a cap of a simple brown color that could also be seen on the heads of many lower-class workers. He also wore a dark navy-blue scarf risen up to his nose so only his eyes could be seen peeking through.

Raoul had gone there on an errand, one that he had never expected himself to be on. Due to the sensitive circumstances he is involved with however, he had been left with no choice. It took a while for Raoul to find the place and once he had, he was greeted by two large intimidating men. Once Raoul had stated his business the men would refuse to talk to him further until he pulled out a small stack of franks which quickly caught their attention. Raoul at this point was expecting that they beat him up and take the money, but surprisingly they led Raoul inside through a side entrance to talk business. They could get Raoul what he wanted, but he would have to wait a while before it would be ready.

Understanding these terms Raoul decided to walk around Paris for a couple of hours before returning to resume his wait just near the entrance of the dark alley that connected to the main street. The alley was musty and covered with grime while the main road remained pristine with its concrete streets shining brightly. Carriages could be seen bustling about. Men and women of all social standings could be found traveling down the road, looking into the shops, or sitting down inside one of the many cafés. When the men had finished Raoul’s order the sun had gone down and he was becoming anxious in remaining a moment longer. Once the task had been completed Raoul paid the gentlemen and was on his way as quickly as possible. Raoul pulled over a carriage and was now on his way home with a knot in his stomach that would not let his mind rest easy.

When Raoul arrived at the estate there was no one there to greet him, which was all the better. Before Raoul could climb up the grand staircase however, one of the maids had spotted him and stopped him just as she was about to enter one of the downstairs meeting rooms.

“Oh, monsieur vicomte you have returned! Your brother has been looking for you and you have a guest,” she said. The maid had been carrying a cart with what appeared to be tea and pastries. Odd, since they usually do not have guests at this late hour unless it be at the dinner table. The maid’s voice had grabbed the attention of the room’s occupants and they were quick to respond.

“Raoul is that you?! We have been waiting for you and you have a guest to attend too,” yelled Philippe from the downstairs room so Raoul could hear him. “In a moment Philippe there is something I must take care of first,” said Raoul before Philippe began feeling suspicion. Not taking the hint about Raoul’s distressed state Philippe stepped out of the drawing room to go and confront his brother face to face.

“In a moment?! Raoul, it is very rude to leave a guest unattended! The least you could do is introduce yourself before dismissing…what are you wearing?” Philippe was now at the foot of the staircase taking a good look at his brother’s appearance.

Raoul was aware of how suspicious he must have looked and wanted to go to his room as soon as possible. “I just thought I should dress differently today alright. Let me go change clothing so I can attend to the guest properly okay,” responded Raoul in an exasperated tone. Philippe knows his brother very well and was certain Raoul was hiding something. He isn’t going to let him get away so easily. Philippe stood his ground and pushed Raoul further.

“No, you may not Raoul. Come down here, the guest won’t mind your state of dress,” Philippe declared in a way that left no room for argument. Raoul was cornered and he did not know what to do. He needs to go up to his room and hide his purchase before his brother gains the opportunity to discover what he has been up too.

Raoul once again casts his gaze down to his brother intending to defy his order. He took a deep breath before speaking once more. “I’m sorry Philippe but I cannot. I need to take care of my appearance before I see to anyone. Tell them I will be there in a moment.” Philippe’s anger was beginning to rise. He has had to endure his brother’s disobedience in the past, especially with Miss Daae, but to be defied so abrasively he was not willing to stand for.

“Raoul do not make me come up there to retrieve you myself! Come down here and-!”

“I don’t always have to do what you say Philippe! I am an adult and can make my own decisions! It’s not fair that you-!”

“Excuse me,” said a voice echoing throughout the foyer. Both Philippe and Raoul turned their heads to look at the person who had interrupted their argument. Meg stood timidly in a corner with both sets of eyes now cast directly at her. Coming here was a terrible idea. All she had managed to do was create conflict between the two brothers. She should have waited until the vicomte came too look for her personally instead of coming to his home.

Meg looked to both and she began dismissing herself. “I apologize for the trouble I’ve caused. I think I will take my leave and-”

“No!” It was Raoul who interrupted her seeing who she was. Couldn’t his brother simply have told him it was Meg! Raoul, seeing he was getting too excited calmed himself down before speaking again. “I mean you don’t have to leave. Why don’t we go sit down and talk?”

Philippe had calmed down as well seeing how their guest was now in the room and had witnessed them arguing. Meg has no reason to believe the fighting is her fault. Philippe apologized for the noise immediately. “Miss Giry, I apologize for what you had just witnessed as it is improper behavior for a host. Please, let us return to the drawing room to continue our discussion,” suggested Philippe.

Raoul felt terrible for making Meg feel guilty and began walking down the grand staircase to greet her properly. When he reached the main floor, Raoul made his way towards Meg and gently grabbed her hand and kissed it. “I sincerely apologize Meg, had I known you were here I would have come and greeted you sooner,” Raoul responded with sincerity.

Philippe simply scoffed and began making his way towards the drawing room entrance where Meg and Raoul were now standing. Philippe stepped inside and sat down in the chair he had taken up previously. The tea had miraculously not gone cold to which Philippe helped himself. Raoul and Meg stared at him through the doorway sensing a tenseness surrounding him.

At this point Raoul had forgotten why he needed to go upstairs so urgently and instead entered the room and sat down on the couch that was next to his brother’s chair. Meg followed suit and took her previous place in the chair directly across from the comte. No one knew what to say as Philippe continued to pour his tea and drink in silence.

Meg had notice Raoul’s strange state of dress but decided not to comment on it. She did not want to cause any more fighting between the brothers, and it seems that commenting on the vicomte’s state of dress would not help that sentiment. She held her tongue, but Meg could not help herself from thinking that Raoul looked like a more refined and polished version of the shady men that would frequent Meg’s humble neighborhood in the late hours if the night. Meg looked around only to shock herself with how heavy the atmosphere had become.

The silence was getting annoying so Philippe thought he should break it. “Help yourself to some tea Miss Giry. I know you must be hungry and insist you stay for dinner or even the night if you’d like. It’s the least we can do given that horrible display you had witnessed earlier,” said Philippe calmly. His brother’s voice was too smooth and calculated that Raoul knew for sure his brother was mad. This is brutal businessman Philippe he was seeing and that is never a good sign. His brother’s face is stern and stone like, no readable expression in sight. Raoul also knows why he is so mad. Philippe is pristine when it comes to manners and proper etiquette in front of guests. It is something that his parents had drilled into him since childhood and is embarrassed that Meg had to witness them both in less than desirable conditions.

Meg turned her head quickly and alertly to respond. “Oh, well thank you for your generosity comte, but I would feel like a burden if I stayed longer than necessary.” Philippe looked towards Meg once more. He noticed the perturbed expression on her face which was probably due to the argument she had been forced to witness earlier. Philippe still is bothered. “Nonsense, you should stay since it is improper for a lady to wander the streets of Paris so late at night,” Philippe responded gently which seemed to ease the tension from Meg’s posture.

Raoul seeing this strange display between his brother and Meg decided that he should offer her an escape since it felt like his brother was cornering her into accepting their hospitality. “We can also send for a carriage to take you home Meg so don’t feel obliged to stay if you do not feel comfortable.” Philippe turned his head towards his brother and stared at him incredulously. What did he think he was doing!? Meg saw the tension in the room rise once more and decided to interrupt in the only effective manner she could think of.

“Thank you for your concern Raoul but before I make any decisions I would like to discuss the reason for my visit,” input Meg with a bit of anxiousness in her voice. She knew that an argument was about to break out if she did not say anything. What she witnessed earlier did not bother her too much only startled her a bit. In her mind the comte and the vicomte had always held this aura of elegance and maturity that seeing it broken stunned her a bit. Meg sees now that even picture-perfect individuals are not as picture-perfect as they seem.

Raoul perked up since he can guess why she is here, Christine. “Please go on Meg, though I can already take my guess,” responded Raoul. Meg smiled slightly as she reached inside her dress pocket before freezing. “Is it alright with your brother here?” she asked. Philippe only watched the interaction and did not dare disturb it until this really important business was over with.

“Do not mind me, anything you tell him I likely already know, but if it would make you two feel any better I will leave,” Philippe answered nonchalantly as he took a sip of his tea.

Raoul looked at his brother feeling a bit of sympathy for him. He knows that he wants to protect him and that there is nothing Raoul could do to make him renounce that role. Since they are all on this sinking ship together, Raoul supposes that his brother should be in the loop. Raoul sighed, “No Philippe you don’t have to leave. Anything you learn here you probably already know anyways so there’s no point in leaving you out.”

“It is about him then, I assumed as much. Well what else could I think when this young lady told me she was a friend of Christine Daae,” added Philippe. Meg looked to the comte with a glare. So, this was why he was so polite. Meg turned her head and coldly responded, “I knew there was no reason for me to hide anything from you, so why did you pretend as if you did not know what was happening upon meeting?” she asked.

Philippe does not know if he offended the lady or not, he certainly did not intend to come off that way and clarified. “I just wanted to see how much you knew about the current affairs mademoiselle and it was in no way intended as an insult to your intelligence,” he answered. Meg began pouting slightly; she is not a fool. Before the vicomte had arrived she and the comte had engaged in pleasant conversation. He asked about her life and was willing to listen and comment on her struggles. He had been good company who genuinely seemed interested in her. Now she knows he only wanted information. She was a fool.

Philippe saw the change in Meg’s expression, and it bothered him. He was not using her, so why does she think this. He hates that Meg’s visit so far has been one tragedy after another and feels compelled to remedy this. “I know it may seem as if I was lying to only to learn about miss Daae, but believe me it is not so. I have enjoyed your company tonight and would like hear about your personal affairs again miss Giry,” Philippe added with a tinge of anxiousness.

Raoul stared dumbfounded. What was going on? It felt as if he was watching a couple argue, out of the blue too. What happened while he was not here that would trigger this emotionally invested response not only from his brother but from Meg?

Meg let her negative feelings pass through her face. She decided to drop it and move onto business. She was disappointed but she will learn to live with it. She’ll admit that in the span of an hour she had developed a small crush on the comte. He seemed so interested in her as a person and in her life that Meg could not help the tingling sensation from forming. No matter, she will do what she has too and will leave.

“Raoul, Christine wrote to you,” she said handing a plain envelope to Raoul. It had his name written on it in curvy handwriting that the delicacy put into writing this letter was evident to all. Raoul took the envelope from Meg’s hand and simply stared at the lettering for a while. Philippe realized that his attempt at reconciliation had been brushed off. He felt salty, but Philippe will not make an issue of this until the business here has concluded.

The tension in the room rose as Raoul stared at the envelope in front of him. Philippe and Meg stared at him anxiously waiting for him to open it and read the contents. Falling to the peer pressure Raoul gently tears open the envelope and pulls out a folded piece of paper. Raoul lifts his head to see the eyes of his brother waiting for him to reveal what was written. Not wanting to hesitate a moment further, Raoul unfolds the paper and begins reading his message out loud.

_Raoul,_

_I know I told you to write to me more often, but these events seem like the kinds of things that raise questions and would better be discussed in person. Please come and visit me whenever you have the chance. Know that I worry more about you than I do myself Raoul!_

_Sincerely,_

_Little Lotte_

Raoul was dumbfounded. That was it! After all the effort he has gone through to protect her and her location that is all the recognition he gets! Philippe chuckled after he had finished reading message finding it hilarious. He underestimated miss Daae, she is still willing to hold her ground when confronting Raoul after so long.

Meg saw the look of disbelief on Raoul’s face and thought she should lessen the blow. “If it makes you feel any better she wrote to me also telling me to remind you that you carry too much weight on your shoulders and that any letter she could have written to you would never encompass the extent of her true feelings,” she added.

Raoul took in a deep breath and sighed. He knew he should not have held his hopes up, but he did regardless. In the back of his mind Raoul had hoped that Christine would acknowledge this as the threat that it really was and escape with him somewhere where the phantom would never find them. It’s his own fault, Christine is really devoted to her new life and it was silly of him to think otherwise.

The atmosphere in the room turned really tense. Everyone present knew that it wasn’t the news that Raoul would have been hoping to hear. Philippe and Meg however could understand Christine’s deposition. She had left to start a new life and a threat should not uproot her from her life decisions. Her refusal to be shaken by threats shows just how strong Christine had grown over the past few months.

Raoul does not see it this way. He sees it as Christine not valuing all of the efforts he has made to protect her. He has done so much; he had endangered his own life just so she could be safe from this monster! Does she not value that? Raoul began to spiral further and further down this negative train of thoughts.

Philippe knew exactly what his brother’s thoughts were and decided he should say something before Raoul loses his sanity. “She did not ask you to protect her Raoul. I know it seems cruel but if you were expecting a large letter of thanks and praise on her behalf then it is unwarranted,” Philippe added with certainty. Though he knows it’s painful, he is aware that this is the truth that his brother needs to hear.

“You don’t understand Philippe! I gave up so much for her! I put my life and yours in danger in order to protect her! I had Meg serve as an intermediary so the phantom would not track her location, and this is what I get!” Raoul’s fury had been unleashed. He was no longer hiding under the knight in shining armor façade but was instead finally displaying his true feelings. Raoul was angry. He was angry that Christine does not appreciate him the way he wants her too, does not thank him and state her desire to be with him again. Christine does not…love him.

Things in Raoul mind finally begin clearing as if a great fog had been lifted. No, Christine does love him, just not in the way he wants to be loved. She loves him like a brother and only wants what’s best for him. She does not love him romantically, at least not anymore.

Meg could only look at the vicomte with pity. It seems that Raoul finally understand what Christine has been telling him all along. No attempts at protecting her and demonstrating his devotion to her would ever convince her to return to him. Christine has found a home among the sisters and cannot live as she once did. It was painful for Meg too, letting go of her best friend. She did so anyways knowing that it was the path that would bring Christine the most happiness.

This epiphany had exhausted Raoul more than he had been expecting. He was tired, not only physically but psychologically. Raoul understands now. He will no longer attempt to win over Christine affections through his actions. The romantic interest had been gone for a while and he has been too blind to realize it.

Philippe saw an opportunity to change the topic and he did. “Well I’ll admit that this has been quite an eventful evening, but I believe dinner should be ready soon. If it is not too much trouble miss Giry would you be willing to stay for dinner?” he asked finally drawing attention away from Raoul’s depressive state. Meg also wishing to exit this depressive atmosphere decided to answer.

“I would love too, but it is getting rather late and I do not think I would be able to make it home safely if I stay much longer,” she insists.

“Nonsense, you can stay the night here if you would like, we have plenty of room.” Meg thought it over for a while and decided that it would be better to stay the night since she would not like to drink wine and then walk through the alleyways in that state.

“Alright, but I do have work in the afternoon tomorrow so I would need to leave first thing tomorrow morning.” Raoul perks his head up after hearing about her work. He was still brooding over Christine’s message but finally came to the conclusion that it was pointless. He has to move on and the best way to do so was to get his life back to normal.

“Meg have you considered my offer about working here or have you not decided,” Raoul input suddenly. They both turned to look at him, it was a strange comment from someone who was brooding but went along with it anyways. “Well, if it is not too rude to presume I have. I had wanted to accept your offer but due to the current events was wondering if it was off the table since you no longer need me to communicate with Christine,” she answered.

“If my brother does happen to retract his offer then I extend mine, though I don’t think that’s the case now is it Raoul,” Philippe chimes in happy to see his brother’s behavior improving though slightly.

“No of course my offer still stands, but I wonder what kind of work you would feel most comfortable doing Meg?” Raoul says. Meg has to stop and think for a minute. She can do basic housework, cook, can read and write rather well which was a rarity among many of the girls in the opera house, and of course she can dance.

“Since you ask I can do all basic housework. I am also literate and was quite organized because of the amount of dedication being a dancer required. Other than those few skills there is not much I can think of,” she answers truthfully. If she is lucky then she would land the position of a maid.

“If you want to start off easy then Meg, would you like to become a ma-”

“She will work with me as my secretary,” Philippe adds in with a tone that concludes his decision is final and not to be questioned. Meg looked at the comte rather shocked. That is a rather high position that she is not sure she has the enough skills to fulfill. As she was about to voice her concerns Philippe put up his hand and continued. “Of course, you shall be trained and will learn as you go. Do not think too much of it and you shall be well paid.”

Meg could not believe what she was hearing, it sounded like it was too good to be true and too much at the same time. Raoul was about to voice this same sentiment when a voice interrupted him coming from the doorway. “Gentlemen, dinner is served. You can come whenever you’re ready,” says his butler before being dismissed by his brother.

Sensing that the moment has passed they all got up and went to the dinner table to continue their conversation. There they decide that Meg shall move into the estate whenever it feels appropriate. She also accepts their invitation to stay for the night and it shall only be the three of them since Philippe had explicitly ordered his staff to not stay on the property at night in case of…accidents. Meg has come to learn that the comte cares greatly about his staff and that he would not risk seeing them hurt in case the phantom were to burn down the estate as he had done the opera house.

Meg is happy that she will now be living in this beautiful house and why would she ever want to leave. The night becomes late and the time for bed is nearing. Meg is shown to a spare bedroom on the opposite side of the estate while Raoul and Philippe retire to theirs.

Before they separated however, Meg made sure to make Raoul stay a little farther behind from the comte so her action would go unnoticed. When Philippe is finally a considerable distance away Meg quickly grabs Raoul’s hand and slips a single plain white envelope.

The moment was brief but Raoul stares intensely into Meg’s eyes questioning; she could give no response. She only gave him a look of certainty that let him know that he should examine the envelope when the time was right. Knowing the delicacy of this moment and how it was specifically meant to be hidden from Philippe, Raoul did not slip the letter into his large coat but into a deeper layer of clothing which consisted of his white-collar shirt and a basic sweater. Raoul does not know what the letter contains but will examine it when the time presents itself.

Philippe had noticed that his brother was lagging intentionally and slowed his pace accordingly. He had not seen the exchange that had just happened and only assumes that Raoul’s slight pause was for another apology to Miss Giry. He slows his pace and it does not take long for Raoul to catch up to him once again. He has something that he would like to discuss with his brother, but the time had not presented itself until now.

When they reach Raoul’s bedroom however, Philippe follows him inside and closes the door behind him. Before Raoul has time to react his brother begins his line of questioning.

“Why were you so anxious to come upstairs Raoul?” he asks bluntly. That question brought Raoul out of his daze. Oh… now he remembers for sure why he needed to come up here and he knew that his brother was not going to like his answer.

Raoul tries to hide his nervousness and evades the question. “I needed to change Philippe, my state of dress was inappropriate for attending guests,” he replied. Philippe scrutinizes him and agrees. “True, but why are you dressed in this manner to begin with?”

Raoul’s throat begins to tighten, and he knows that there is no escape. He cannot avoid his brother from discovering his secret affairs so he might as well come clean. Raoul tilts his head in a sign of defeat. Philippe acknowledges his gestures and watches his brother take off his heavy coat. The hat and scarf he had lost earlier in the evening, but the main thing was his coat.

As he removed his coat Raoul was now only in a sweater and a white-collar shirt. The letter Meg had given him was still hidden but what Raoul was hiding before could no longer be. He reached into the inner pocket of the coat and pulled out a vile. The vile contained a dark blue liquid substance that glimmered in the reflecting moonlight. Philippe had his suspicions, but he needed to hear conformation from his brother.

“Explain,” Philippe uttered nervously. If that liquid is what he thought it was, then his brother could have put himself in great danger without his knowledge. Philippe’s over protectiveness began flaring up like a candle.

Raoul saw Philippe’s face grow with worry and there is no point in hiding his affairs for the day. With this in mind, Raoul looked at his brother and went straight to the point. “It is poison, a special kind of poison that could not be found so easily,” he replied. That just about solidified Philippe’s fears. Poison! Did his brother know of the dangers involved when interacting with people of the underbelly of society? How stupid is he, had they a clue who he was they would have kidnapped him and held him for ransom or worse!

Philippe went a couple of minutes without saying anything. He needed to calm down from what he was sure would have been an intense argument had he spoken about the poison. Instead Philippe decided that what was done was done.

“Raoul, I will not comment on how stupid it is to put yourself in danger to retrieve poison, but I do wish to know your exact intentions,” Philippe said solemnly with an expression that left no room for argument.

Raoul had to think for a moment since he had not yet concluded how he would have used it in practice. He did not think through how he would get the phantom to actually take the poison, Raoul only knew that for an enemy like him it would be necessary. The poison is strong enough that even one drop on the skin is enough to stun a member of the body if touched.

Philippe could see the indecision on Raoul’s face and made his own conclusions. Raoul had no idea what to do with the poison but had only retrieved it on instinct. Philippe sighed catching his brother’s attention. As Raoul looked up he saw the resigned expression upon his brother’s face. Usually this expression on his brother would cause him great anxiety and discomfort, but tonight if brings Raoul relief meaning that their awkward conversation was over.

“I can see you haven’t the slightest idea what to do with it yourself. I will not confiscate it. You are not a child so I expect you to be responsible for any troubles it may bring us Raoul,” Philippe said while making his way to the door.

Raoul looked up with relief in his eyes since he has made a fool of himself enough for one night and wished to be alone. “I will, don’t worry Philippe,” he said as his brother was turning the handle and exiting. Philippe did not bid him good night, Raoul knows for sure that his brother will likely forgive but not forget this dumb instance in his life. Raoul sighs as he hopes thirty years from now Philippe will not bring this up in some petty argument.

*

When the morning rays had peaked their beams over the mountains Erik had finally arrived in Paris. It was a long trip but was shorter than his first one. The train station despite the early hour was bustling with people who wished to board the early trains. Luckily, Erik was on a cart that stopped in a remote location distant from the crowds so he could retreat undisturbed. Erik walked towards a familiar path on the far end of the station where the sound of people ceased as he came upon an opening. This opening would take him back into the tunnels. Erik climbed in and began his trek home; his thoughts however would not leave him.

Erik admits that his initial departure was too hasty and unorganized. He took the information he was given and ran with it not knowing whether he should have investigated the matter in depth or not. Erik learned his lesson for sure. The Chagny’s cannot be trusted. He was just so anxious to finally be reunited with Christine that he did not want to spend more time than necessary apart from her, look at where that got him. He has wasted so much time that the embarrassment injures Erik’s pride to a degree that before he had not thought possible.

Erik acknowledges that the vicomte and his brother had become a challenge, which in its own rite was exhilarating since it has been a long time anyone has managed to catch him unawares and make themselves worthy prey. If Erik was being honest, it is mostly the comte who is the greater threat in a show of skill, but even so the vicomte should not be easily forgotten. The comte is the more organized of the two and is sure to have a plan to deal with Erik upon arrival. He would need to be careful and not infiltrate the Chagny estate recklessly. Raoul, as Erik has come to understand him is reactive. Raoul would not make the first move unless probed to do so. Still, this trait he possesses only means that he is unpredictable which could become a problem if he is not careful.

Raoul…pesky thoughts assaulted Erik’s mind once more. There must be something wrong with him, why does he keep thinking of him? It seems that he has become soft as of late. Erik has begun seeing things under a different light, one where things are not as cruel and vindictive as they once appeared to him. Erik thinks back to all their previous interactions and for some reason his ideas about the vicomte have shifted.

He is no longer the impulsive, spoiled aristocrat who’s only aim was to take away the things Erik loves, but now he is simply Raoul. He is a human just like any other and was only reacting out of necessity. Raoul felt threatened and he only wanted to protect the things he cared about.

It’s true that him and Raoul would argue like children in a fair amount of their previous interactions, but that in itself was a peaceful response. He never turned away or showed an ounce of disgust towards Erik or his face, only anger.

It was this thought that grabbed Erik’s attention the most. Raoul had seen his face before but never winced. When he was underground offering Christine’s ultimatum he never looked at him in disgust only with hate. The same could be said for all of their following interactions. Raoul was never afraid of him only distraught by the anxiety he causes him. Raoul does not hate him because of his face but he hates him because he is _The Phantom of the Opera_. Though strange, Erik thinks of it as a comforting thought.

Is it true that a man’s actions define his worth more than his assets? Can someone who has received everything from birth escape their destiny of becoming selfish, self-serving, and spoiled? Raoul has everything and he should be spoiled as one who has everything is. This is not only inclusive of his wealth mind you but of Raoul himself. He possesses a strange beauty which Erik has not often found. Raoul’s physical appearance is one of the most perfect he has ever seen. His features are all perfectly proportioned and his blue eyes seem to be filled with life and an indistinguishable goodness.

A strange feeling was growing in Erik’s chest. He could not comprehend the flood of emotion that began taking over his being. It was strong and accompanied his thoughts whenever the vicomte was in question. Such feelings had only been associated with Christine. Erik’s mind stops as he thinks about her in detail for the first time in a long time. Erik does not recall the student he has been grooming since childhood. Instead he is dragged back to the moment when Christine first unmasked him. He remembers clearly the look of horror present on Christine’s face, how the illusion of the angel had been shattered. In the few seconds that it took for Christine to see his face the persona had fallen, and he had become a monster, a demon. Despite knowing he was a monster however, Christine still pitied him and sought to bring out the human within him. It is the very reason Erik is searching for her now, he intends to save Christine in the same way she tried to save him. She failed he admits, but once he is reunited with her he knows that there will be no failure on either of their parts.

Raoul. Erik winced when that one name resounded in his mind. It did not want to disappear, and it was beginning to drive Erik into madness. Why Raoul holds a persistent presence in Erik’s mind is still a mystery to him.

Raoul, he never saw Erik as an angel or a demon but only as Erik. Erik is not a good man, and Raoul treats him as any good law-abiding citizen would treat a dangerous criminal, with disgust and hatred. In that strange way Raoul is also like Therese. He has an issue with the actions of the monster rather than the monster himself. No, not monster as Therese had shown him, human. Therese sees him as a good human while Raoul sees him as a bad one, but a human none the less. In a strange way, Raoul had also helped Erik remember his humanity.

There is only one issue now, what does it mean? Why is Erik becoming so attached to the vicomtes general person? He no longer thinks of him as a fop but rather as someone who hides from the world just as much as Erik himself does. The only explanation Erik can think of is Therese.

Erik halts his long trip through the tunnels to properly sort his thoughts. Therese had also been a constant companion in Erik’s mind. He cannot bring himself to finish that thought because the pain Erik had been feeling for hours will once again resurface. The agony Erik had felt on the train ride home was inexplicable. The anguish was so intense that Erik could feel a sharpness in his chest that had lasted the entire trip. As comforting as those thoughts of Therese were, he knows that he should not summon them now. Not when he has an important mission to fulfill.

For now, Erik finds it crucial that he suppresses all thoughts of the innocent girl lest the positive effects hinder his progress. Erik knows deep down that a murderer is not what Therese sees in him and yet it is a staple of the Phantom of the Opera.

That is the very reason that Erik refuses to think of her. To kill the vicomte he must not be Erik but the Phantom.

Erik loves so much that he causes destruction. He loves his music, art, and literature but more importantly he loves the simple things. He loves nature, beauty, and yearns for the everyday things like affection and companionship. It is because he is Erik that he must find Christine, he cannot bear his loneliness any longer. He will take the only two people in the world he loves and flee from France to a country where no one would find them.

The plan is set, all Erik has to do is spend the day gathering the few necessities needed before he can enact it. Tonight, the Chagny’s will die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well as you can guess there is progression in this story and is far from complete. Thing is I don't know if people have lost interest in this story or not and would want for me to continue. Let me know your thoughts since they are always helpful to me.


End file.
